Pardoned Capitol Rioter Charged With Threatening to Kill Hakeem Jeffries

A pardoned Capitol rioter was arrested on Sunday after allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, according to CBS News.

Christopher Moynihan was arrested after saying in text messages that he planned to "eliminate" Jeffries when the top House Democrat spoke at an event in New York City on Monday, according to court documents obtained by CBS News.

Jeffries spoke at the Economic Club of New York on Monday. Moynihan was arraigned Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty, the news agency said.

According to a court filing by prosecutors in the New York state criminal case, Moynihan wrote, "Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live."

Moynihan also allegedly stated: "Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future," the filing said.

Moynihan faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat, according to court filings shared by prosecutors with CBS. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Jeffries noted that Moynihan had been pardoned by Trump on his first day in office and that "many of the criminals released have committed additional crimes throughout the country." But Jeffries added that "threats of violence will not stop us from showing up, standing up and speaking up for the American people."