A 2022 Republican primary opponent of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has been charged with threatening to kill her with a “Russian-Ukrainian” hit squad.
The Department of Justice announced the unsealed indictment Friday, charging William Braddock, 41, with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person.
Braddock allegedly told a local activist in a recorded call that he wanted to “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” and make Luna disappear. After making the threat, he fled to the Philippines, the DOJ said. He was recently deported back to the United States.
“I really don’t want to have to end anybody’s life for the good of the people of the United States of America,” he said in a conversation with a conservative activist, according to the recording obtained at the time by Politico. “That will break my heart. But if it needs to be done, it needs to be done. Luna is a fucking speed bump in the road. She’s a dead squirrel you run over every day when you leave the neighborhood.”
Charges weren’t initially filed against Braddock for the comments, but a judge did approve a temporary restraining order against him. The DOJ later pursued charges as part of its Election Threats Task Force, which aims to “address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation.”
A spokesperson for Luna said they could not comment on the indictment, but that “in the past month alone, Congresswoman Luna has faced a growing number of death threats. Female members of Congress are disproportionately targeted for stalking, violence, and harassment compared to their male counterparts. This alarming trend points to a broader and more disturbing issue of violence in the political arena.”
“Violence must never be tolerated. Congresswoman Luna is committed to spreading this message to her constituents and America. She will continue to advocate for and educate on ending the violence and abuse that so many women face, whether emotional or physical,” the spokesperson added.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Braddock faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Luna would go on to win the 2022 primary and the general election in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. She now faces Democratic opponent Whitney Fox in the 2024 general election in what’s expected to be a close race.
