Republican Threatened to Kill Rep. Luna with a Hit Squad (Audio)

The DOJ charged Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s 2022 primary opponent, William Braddock, with threatening to kill her with a Russian-Ukrainian hit squad.

According to the indictment, William Robert Braddock III, 41, of St. Petersburg, and Victim 1 were candidates in the primary election to represent the 13th Congressional District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. Victim 2 was a private citizen and acquaintance of Victim 1. 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. 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 in Los Angeles.

Braddock is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person. If convicted, Braddock faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Politico released the phone call in 2021:

Russian-Ukrainian Hit Squad

William Robert Braddock III, 41, was arrested in the Philippines. He fled there to evade the law.

Braddock allegedly told a conservative activist who taped him that he would “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” to make Rep. Luna “disappear.”

President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Luna.

“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. That is according to a transcript of the phone call above reported by Politico.

“That will break my heart. But if it needs to be done, it needs to be done. Luna is a f—ing speed bump in the road. She’s a dead squirrel you run over daily when you leave the neighborhood.”