A man pardoned by Donald Trump for his role in the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot has pleaded guilty to a harassment charge for threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Christopher Moynihan, 35, entered the plea in a New York court and is scheduled for sentencing in April.
Prosecutors said Moynihan sent threatening text messages last October regarding a planned appearance by Jeffries in New York City. The messages stated, 'Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live … I will kill him for the future,' according to a court complaint.
Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi condemned the threats, saying, 'Threats against elected officials are not political speech, they are criminal acts that strike at the heart of public safety and our democratic system.'
Moynihan had previously been sentenced to 21 months in prison for his involvement in the Capitol riot, including a felony conviction for obstruction of an official proceeding. He was among over 1,500 people charged in the attack, which aimed to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.
Trump pardoned nearly all those charged in the Capitol attack upon beginning his second term in January, a move seen as supporting his false claims of election fraud.
