Christopher Moynihan, a 34-year-old man from Clinton, New York, who was among the more than 1,500 individuals pardoned by former President Donald Trump for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, has been arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The arrest, which occurred over the weekend of October 18-19, 2025, has reignited debate about the consequences of blanket pardons and the growing threat of political violence in the United States.
According to the New York State Police and as reported by ABC News, Moynihan was taken into custody after sending a series of alarming text messages on October 17, 2025. In these messages, he wrote, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” and, “Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future.” These threats were deemed credible and placed the recipient in “reasonable fear of the imminent murder and assassination of Hakeem Jeffries by the defendant,” according to the criminal complaint cited by CBS News.
The FBI initiated the investigation after receiving an anonymous tip from someone concerned about Moynihan’s “recent suspected narcotic abuse and an increase in the respondent’s homicidal ideations,” as detailed in charging documents obtained by NBC News. State police were notified and, after a rapid investigation, arrested Moynihan, who was arraigned before the Town of Clinton Court in New York’s Hudson Valley region. He is currently being held at the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center, with bail set at $10,000 cash, $30,000 bond, or an $80,000 partially secured bond.
Jeffries, a Democrat representing New York, was scheduled to speak at the Economic Club of New York on Monday, October 20, 2025, the same event referenced in Moynihan’s threatening messages. In a statement on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Jeffries expressed gratitude to law enforcement, saying he was “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.” He also condemned the rising tide of political violence, declaring, “Threats of violence will not stop us from showing up, standing up and speaking up for the American people.”
Moynihan’s arrest marks the first time a pardoned Capitol rioter has been charged with making a violent threat against a member of Congress. However, as CBS News noted, he is not the first to be arrested on new, separate charges since receiving a presidential pardon. Other former defendants have faced subsequent legal troubles, including cases involving firearms, breaking and entering, and other criminal infractions both before and after the January 6 riot.
Moynihan’s legal history is closely tied to the events of January 6, 2021. Prosecutors described him as one of the first rioters to breach police barricades and enter the Capitol grounds. He entered the Senate Gallery, rifled through a notebook on Senator Ted Cruz’s desk, and took photos with his cellphone. According to court filings, Moynihan declared, “There’s gotta be something in here we can f---ing use against these scumbags,” and joined other rioters in chanting and occupying the Senate dais. He did not leave until police forced him out. For his actions, Moynihan was convicted in August 2022 of obstructing an official proceeding and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced in February 2023 to 21 months in prison.
Moynihan’s defense team argued that he “felt a unique allegiance to President Trump” and was a “receptive audience” to Trump’s repeated, unfounded claims about the 2020 presidential election. Federal prosecutors, however, described Moynihan as someone who “saw himself as part of an existential battle against those who disagree with him,” and stated, “His words and his conduct demonstrate that he believes his crimes were justified because they were performed in the name of his political goals.”
The mass pardon issued by Trump on January 20, 2025, included Moynihan and over 1,500 other individuals connected to the Capitol riot. Trump has publicly referred to the January 6 rioters as “hostages” and “patriots,” framing their actions as political protest rather than criminal conduct. Critics of these pardons, such as Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., have warned about the risks of recidivism and the lack of individualized review. Raskin said, “I said on the very day that Donald Trump pardoned 1,600 people en masse without obviously studying the details of each individual case, that President Trump and his administration would be responsible for whatever happens with these people. They’ve got a responsibility to rein them in.”
Senate Democratic leadership has also drawn attention to the pattern of post-pardon criminal behavior among some former defendants. In a March 2025 floor speech, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois listed the names of accused rioters who had been arrested again, including cases involving firearms and violent confrontations with police. The issue has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over accountability and public safety in the aftermath of the January 6 attack.
The threat against Jeffries is part of a broader surge in threats against legislators. According to a recent statement from Capitol Police, the number of threat investigations in 2025 has already surpassed 14,000—more than the total for all of 2024. The Capitol riot itself resulted in injuries to more than 140 people, millions of dollars in damage, and a temporary halt to the certification of the 2020 election results. Rioters chanted threats against then-Vice President Mike Pence and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and some carried weapons ranging from bats and bear spray to firearms.
Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi, whose office is now reviewing the Moynihan case for legal and factual sufficiency, stated, “Threats made against elected officials and members of the public will not be tolerated. We will pursue every available investigative and prosecutorial tool to hold responsible parties accountable, protect potential victims, and deter future violence.”
Moynihan pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on October 21, 2025, and is scheduled to make his next court appearance in Dutchess County State Supreme Court on Thursday, October 23. It remains unclear whether he has secured legal representation. His father declined to comment when reached by CBS News.
As the nation grapples with the fallout from the Capitol riot and the complexities of mass pardons, the case of Christopher Moynihan stands as a stark reminder of the persistent dangers facing public officials and the ongoing challenges of addressing political violence in a polarized era.
