Hudson Valley Man Guilty of Threatening to Kill Politician
A Hudson Valley man has admitted he threatened to kill a prominent member of Congress.
On Thursday, prosecutors confirmed that Christopher Moynihan, a Pleasant Valley resident, has pleaded guilty in Dutchess County Court to aggravated harassment for a violent threat tied to the House Minority Leader.
Moynihan had already gained national attention after being convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. According to CBS, Moynihan was one of the first rioters to breach police barricades and enter the Capitol grounds. He was captured on film rifling thorugh paperwork on the Senate floor saying, "There's gotta be something in here we can f*cking use against these scumbags."
The Pleasant Valley man was lader pardoned along with 1,200 other rioters on the first day of President Trump's second term.
Pleasant Valley Man Arrested for Threatening to Kill Politician
According to the Dutchess County District Attorney, the incident unfolded on October 17 in the Town of Clinton. Investigators say Moynihan admitted he called another person and made a threat involving the United States House Minority Leader.
Moynihan was arrested in November after federal authorities said he left a voicemail threatening to murder Jeffries. At the time, he was facing far more serious charges, including Making a Terrorist Threat. Those charges have now been reduced as part of Thursday’s plea.
Local Prosecutors Say Threat Was Serious
Moynahan is not the first January 6 rioter to commit another crime after being pardoned. According to Citizens For Ethics, dozens of former rioters have been arrested after being pardoned by the president. Six of the pardoned January 6th insurrectionists were charged with committing child sex crimes, at least five were charged with illegal possession of weapons, another five were arrested or charged with driving while impaired or under the influence and two were charged with rape.
Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said Moynihan's case was handled in close coordination with federal and state law enforcement agencies. Parisi emphasized that threats against elected officials are not protected speech and described them as criminal acts that undermine public safety.
Sentencing Set For April
Moynihan, who is 35, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2. Under the agreement, he is expected to receive three years of probation.