The Justice Department has charged William Robert Braddock III, a former primary opponent of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., with threatening to send a “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” to kill Luna. Braddock is accused of making threats to injure and kill Luna during a phone call with another individual. The indictment, unsealed in the Middle District of Florida, describes Luna and the second victim as “Victim 1” and “Victim 2.” Braddock allegedly made these threats in June 2021 before leaving the United States and later being found in the Philippines. He was recently deported back to the U.S. and appeared in court in Los Angeles.
Luna, an Air Force veteran and former media consultant, was not named in the indictment. However, she had previously contended in 2021 civil court documents that Braddock was stalking her and wanted her dead. Luna and a conservative activist, Erin Olszewski, were granted a temporary restraining order against Braddock after he was accused of making threats against Luna. Braddock dropped out of the race following publicity from the case. Luna, who had been endorsed twice by former President Trump, testified in court that she had only brief in-person contact with Braddock but heard from acquaintances that he was making threats against her.
In court proceedings, Luna testified that Braddock “hated her guts” and wanted to hurt her, causing her fear. Olszewski testified that she secretly recorded a phone call with Braddock in which he made veiled threats against Luna and her children, claiming that a hit squad would respond quickly to his commands. The contents of the recorded call were shared with Luna, who then called the police. Braddock is now facing one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.
The case against Braddock is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was established to address violent threats against election workers. Luna’s office has not yet commented on the indictment. A spokesperson for the GOP congresswoman acknowledged that Luna has faced a growing number of death threats in recent months, highlighting a broader issue of violence in the political arena. The indictment against Braddock comes amid ongoing concerns about threats and violence directed at political figures and candidates, underscoring the need for vigilance and strong law enforcement measures to protect public officials and ensure the integrity of the democratic process.
