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Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Arrested on Felony Threat Charge in Alleged Plot to Kill Hakeem Jeffries

The case has renewed scrutiny of Trump’s blanket pardons for Jan. 6 defendants.

Overview

  • Christopher Moynihan, 34, of Clinton, N.Y., was arrested over the weekend and charged with making a terroristic threat; he pleaded not guilty and is due back in Dutchess County court on Thursday.
  • Court documents say Moynihan texted on Friday that he would “eliminate” Hakeem Jeffries, writing, “I cannot allow this terrorist to live… Even if I am hated he must be eliminated… I will kill him for the future.”
  • The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force alerted New York State Police after a tip, triggering a joint investigation and arrest ahead of Jeffries’ Monday speech at the Economic Club of New York.
  • Moynihan was convicted in 2022 of obstructing an official proceeding for his role in the Capitol breach and sentenced in 2023 to 21 months in prison before receiving a full pardon from President Trump on Jan. 20, 2025.
  • Jeffries thanked law enforcement and called the threat credible, while watchdogs note multiple re-arrests of pardoned Jan. 6 defendants, with Moynihan the first publicly accused of targeting a member of Congress.