NEW YORK CITY — A pardoned Capitol rioter has been arraigned on charges after he allegedly threatened to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, according to prosecutors and reports.
Christopher Moynihan faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat and was arraigned on Tuesday after being arrested by State Police on Sunday. He has pled not guilty to charges.
Moynihan is accused of saying in text messages that he wanted to “eliminate” Jeffries when he spoke at an event in the city on Monday.
“Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” Moynihanallegedly said.
“Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future.”
Moynihan faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat, according to court filings shared by prosecutors.
Jeffries said in a statement that “threats of violence will not stop us from showing up, standing up and speaking up for the American people.”
Moynihan had been pardoned by President Donald Trump on his first day in office. He was previously sentenced in 2023 to 21 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges.
According to prosecutors, Moynihan was among the first rioters to breach Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021.