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Queens Court Employee Charged With Calling For Executions Of Pelosi, Schumer
By
Sophia Chang
Published Jan 20, 2021
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Brendan Hunt/BitChute
By
Sophia Chang
Published Jan 20, 2021
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A Queens man who worked as an analyst for the state Office of Court Administration has been charged with threatening to kill politicians like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer in social media posts and videos, federal authorities said.
Brendan Hunt, 37, of Ridgewood, was arrested Tuesday at his home by the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force. He’s being held pending trial after being denied bail Tuesday, according to John Marzulli of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
“Federal Magistrate Judge Ramon Reyes denied Hunt’s bail application based on the ‘nature and seriousness of danger to the community, in particular, the legislative community elected officials,’” the Queens Eagle reported.
Investigators say Hunt published a number of social media posts since December 2020 under various names including the handle “X-Ray Ultra,” calling for violence and “public execution” of Congressional representatives. In a December 6th Facebook post, Hunt allegedly wrote: “Trump, we want actual revenge on democrats. Meaning, we want you to hold a public execution of pelosi aoc schumer etc. And if you dont do it, the citizenry will. We're not voting in another rigged election. Start up the firing squads, mow down these commies, and lets take america back!”
It does not appear that Hunt was part of the Capitol riots on January 6th by pro-Trump insurrectionists, investigators said, but on January 8th Hunt allegedly posted a video online saying “[w]e need to go back to the U.S. Capitol when all of the Senators and a lot of the Representatives are back there, and this time we have to show up with our guns. And we need to slaughter these m-----f------.”
Hunt's attorney Leticia Olivera of Brooklyn Federal Defenders declined to comment Wednesday. At the bail hearing Tuesday, Olivera told Judge Reyes that Hunt has no criminal history and was not a flight risk, the Queens Eagle reported: “This is someone born and raised in Queens, who has lived there his whole life,” Olivera said.
She added, “Without seeking to undermine the seriousness of the allegations of the complaint, there is no allegation that he has use or ownership of weapons, militia membership, friends in DC or some contact with federal officials,” according to the Queens Eagle.
The Daily News reported he is the son of retired Queens Family Court judge John Hunt.
“Our democracy depends on the legislators who shoulder the responsibility of government. By allegedly threatening to murder and intimidate elected officials, Hunt is striking at the core of our government,” said Acting United States Attorney Seth DuCharme in a press release Tuesday. “This Office will aggressively disrupt such conduct and prosecute offenders like the defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Before the assault on the Capitol building, and again after, Hunt’s alleged online commentary directly called for the assassination of members of Congress. This is not a hard message to understand –threats of violence against our public officials won’t be tolerated,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney Jr. in the release.
Hunt had worked for the OCA since 2016 and was currently employed as an Assistant Court Analyst in the Attorney Registration Unit. He has been suspended without pay pending further administrative action, said OCA spokesperson Lucian Chalfen. He is also a part-time actor and filmmaker, federal investigators said.
Hunt faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
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Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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