Former Republican congressional candidate William Braddock has been charged with making threats against Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) during her 2021 campaign. Braddock allegedly made violent statements, including a claim that he would call up a “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” to harm Luna. The threats were reportedly caught on audio, which has since been shared publicly.
In the recording, Braddock allegedly referred to Luna as a “dead squirrel” and a “speed bump in the road.” He also stated, “I really don’t want to have to end anybody’s life for the good of the people of the United States of America,” expressing his frustration with Luna’s campaign. This disturbing audio led to a judge issuing a restraining order against Braddock.
Despite the recorded threats, Braddock has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the audio may have been tampered with. However, authorities moved forward with the case, eventually leading to Braddock fleeing the country and traveling to the Philippines.
The Justice Department later confirmed that Braddock had been charged with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person. After his extradition from the Philippines, he appeared in a Los Angeles federal court last Thursday to face the charges.
Rep. Luna, who won her seat and was sworn into office in January 2023, recently shared that her office had received another serious threat. Although she didn’t provide many details, she confirmed that the investigation into the shooting threat is still ongoing. Luna’s team has continued to raise concerns about security given the number of threats she has faced during her time in office.
