A former Republican primary opponent of GOP Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has been charged with allegedly “threatening to kill” his opponent from the 2021 election for the 13th Congressional District of Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
On Friday the DOJ unsealed the indictment against 41-year-old William Robert Braddock III in a press statement, alleging he had made threats to a victim running as a candidate in the 13th Congressional District of Florida’s primary election and a second victim who is a “private citizen and acquaintance” of the lawmaker. Though the indictment does not name Luna or the second victim, the lawmaker was one of Braddock’s primary opponents.
Authorities stated on June 8, 2021 Braddock allegedly made “several threats to injure and kill” Luna and the second victim before later being found in the Philippines.
“On June 8, 2021, Braddock made several threats to injure and kill Victim 1 and Victim 2 during a telephone call with Victim 2. Specifically, Braddock threatened, in part, to “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” and make Victim 1 disappear,” the press release said. “After making the threats, Braddock left the United States and was later found to be residing in the Philippines. Braddock was recently deported from the Philippines to the United States and made his first court appearance yesterday [Thursday] in Los Angeles.”
The charges reportedly originate from Florida’s 13th Congressional District of Florida primary race in 2021 after former Democratic Florida Rep. Charlie Crist announced he would no longer seek reelection for his seat, according to Politico. A conservative activist, Erin Olszewski, had recorded a call with Braddock, who, at the time, told her not to support Luna due to his access to assassins, the outlet reported.
“I really don’t want to have to end anybody’s life for the good of the people of the United States of America,” Braddock told Olszewski during the call, according to 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.”
A temporary restraining order from a Florida judge was then granted to Luna and Olszewski, which prompted Braddock to terminate his 2021 campaign shortly after, according to NBC News.
Braddock has been officially charged with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person, potentially facing a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to the DOJ.
Luna’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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