A man who was pardoned by former President Donald Trump for his involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Christopher Moynihan, 34, from Clinton, New York, was taken into custody on Saturday after New York State Police were alerted by the FBI about his threats against Jeffries, a prominent Democrat in the House of Representatives.

According to court documents, Moynihan allegedly sent text messages indicating his intent to kill Jeffries. One message reportedly stated, "I will kill him for the future," while another read, "Even if I am hated he must be eliminated." These messages were sent around October 17, prior to his arrest.

Moynihan was arraigned in local court and is currently held at the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center. He is being held on $10,000 cash bail, a $30,000 bond, or an $80,000 partially secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in Dutchess County State Supreme Court on Thursday. He faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat.

In a statement, Jeffries expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their prompt action. He noted that Moynihan was pardoned on Trump's first day in office and commented on the implications of such pardons. "Since the blanket pardon that occurred earlier this year, many of the criminals released have committed additional crimes throughout the country," Jeffries said. "Unfortunately, our brave men and women in law enforcement are being forced to spend their time keeping our communities safe from these violent individuals who should never have been pardoned."

Moynihan was previously convicted of obstructing an official proceeding in 2022 after he breached a security perimeter and entered the Capitol during the riot. He was sentenced to nearly two years in prison in February 2023. Following his sentence, he was among more than 1,500 individuals who received a pardon related to the January 6 events shortly after Trump took office.

During the Capitol riot, Moynihan was recorded on video inside the Senate, expressing his desire to find something to use against lawmakers. His recent arrest highlights ongoing concerns about threats to lawmakers, as the Capitol Police reported a significant increase in threat assessment cases, projecting to handle around 14,000 cases by the end of the year, a notable rise from previous years.