A Florida man, William Robert Braddock III, faces charges for threatening to kill his political opponent, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.
Anna Paulina Luna
In a severe escalation of political tensions, the U.S. Justice Department has charged William Robert Braddock III, a 41-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, with making threats against his political opponent during the 2022 Congressional race.
The indictment, announced on Friday, reveals Braddock allegedly threatened to kill his primary challenger, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, by claiming he would enlist a “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” to make her “disappear.”
Braddock’s threats, made public in the indictment, have raised alarms about the increasingly dangerous climate surrounding political discourse.
Although the indictment does not name the victims, it has been confirmed that Luna was targeted. In previous legal documents, she described Braddock’s actions as stalking, leading to a court granting her a temporary restraining order against him.
The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened concerns regarding political violence.
Luna’s spokesperson remarked that the congresswoman has received a concerning number of death threats in recent weeks, highlighting a broader issue of violence affecting political figures.
After allegedly fleeing the United States, Braddock was discovered residing in the Philippines. He was deported back to the U.S. and made his initial court appearance in Los Angeles on Thursday.
He is charged with one count of interstate transmission of an actual threat, which could carry a prison sentence of up to five years upon conviction.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was formed to address threats against election officials and candidates. The investigation is supported by the FBI’s Tampa field office and the St. Petersburg Police Department.
As Luna prepares for her re-election campaign following the cancellation of the Republican primary for her seat because she was the sole candidate, the climate of fear surrounding her political candidacy continues to cast a shadow over the electoral process.
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