‘I don’t have a problem taking her out’: Candidate who threatened to kill rival with his ‘Russian-Ukrainian hit squad’ headed to prison

A erstwhile legislature campaigner successful Florida is headed to situation for threating to termination his hostile — and eventual victor — successful the 2021 Republican primary.

William Robert Braddock III, 41, was sentenced to 3 years successful situation Wednesday aft helium pleaded blameworthy successful February to interstate transmissions of menace to injure. His people was Rep. Anna Paulina Luna , the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

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According to prosecutors, Braddock called Luna’s person and said helium would “call up my Russian-Ukrainian deed squad” and marque her “disappear.”

“I volition beryllium the adjacent congressman for this District. Period. End of discussion,” helium said. “And anybody going up against maine is f—ing ignorant for doing so. [Luna’s] ignorant truthful I don’t person a occupation taking her out, but I’m not going to bash that soiled enactment myself obviously.”

After making the threats, Braddock allegedly fled to the Philippines wherever helium was arrested and aboriginal deported backmost to the United States.

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As Law&Crime antecedently reported, Luna and Braddock were moving for Florida’s 13th Congressional District to regenerate then-U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a Democrat, aft helium vacated his spot successful bid to tally for politician — a contention helium yet lost. Luna won the superior and past the wide election. She filed an injunction against Braddock successful June 2021 aft helium made the alleged threatening telephone and had been stalking her, according to The Associated Press.

“I bash not consciousness harmless and I americium presently successful fearfulness for my beingness from Mr. Braddock,” Luna reportedly said successful her petition.

Luna declined to comment connected the indictment to Fox News but a spokesperson issued a connection that said she had been a people of galore threats successful general.

“Female members of Congress are disproportionately targeted for stalking, violence, and harassment compared to their antheral counterparts,” Luna’s spokesperson said. “This alarming inclination points to a broader and much disturbing contented of unit successful the governmental arena. Violence indispensable ne'er beryllium tolerated.”

The lawsuit was prosecuted arsenic portion of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force which aims to code threats of unit against radical successful the governmental arena whether they beryllium elected officials oregon predetermination workers.