Donald Trump pardoned January 6 rioter arrested for threatening to kill Hakeem Jeffries: 'Cannot allow this terrorist to live'

A man from New York, who was pardoned by US President Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 Capitol attack, has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York State Police said.

34-year-old Christopher Moynihan was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with making terrorist like threats. He is the first pardoned Capitol rioter to face arrest over alleged political violence, reports ABC News.




Investigators said Moynihan sent threatening text messages last week to an unidentified recipient. One message read, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live.” Another said, “Even if I am hated he must be eliminated. I will kill him for the future.” The complaint said the messages “placed the recipient in reasonable fear of the imminent murder and assassination of Hakeem Jeffries by the defendant.”

Moynihan appeared in the Town of Clinton Court and was sent to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center with $10,000 cash bail. He is due to appear in Dutchess County State Supreme Court on Thursday.

Jeffries said in a statement on Tuesday, “I am grateful to state and federal law enforcement for their swift and decisive action to apprehend a dangerous individual who made a credible death threat against me with every intention to carry it out.”

Moynihan was convicted in 2022 of obstructing an official proceeding after breaking through a security perimeter and entering the Capitol on January 6. Prosecutors said he went into the Senate Gallery, looked through a notebook on a senator’s desk, and took photos with his cellphone. During the riot, he reportedly said, “There’s got to be something in here we can f---ing use against these ----bags.” He was sentenced to nearly two years in prison in February 2023 before receiving a pardon from Trump, along with more than 1,500 others who were convicted or charged in connection with the attack.

Jeffries warned of rising political violence but said he would not be intimidated. “When it comes to these extremists out there, you better watch how you talk when you talk about me,” he said, adding, “we're living in a moment of extreme political violence” affecting public servants.