Raymond Chandler III was charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threat, as well as threatening a family member of a federal official.
A Pennsylvania Democrat primary challenger to Sen. John Fetterman has been federally charged after prosecutors say he left threatening voicemails for a member of Congress, including messages urging the lawmaker to assassinate President Donald Trump.
According to a federal affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime, Raymond Chandler III was charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threat, as well as threatening a family member of a federal official. Federal investigators said Chandler left multiple voicemails for an unidentified member of Congress in April. In one April 29 message, he allegedly told the lawmaker: "You've probably getting quite used to my voice."
"Sir, I'm calling this evening because what I want you to do is I want you to take a firearm. I want you to put it in your hand. I want you to walk into the Oval Office. I want you to put that firearm to the President's head, and I want you to pull the trigger and I want you to kill him."
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He allegedly continued: "I am petitioning you, Senator for redress of grievances. My redress of grievances is that this president is awful."
"He's a liar among all liars. He's a great deceiver. He's the antichrist. I want you to walk into the Oval Office with a gun in your hand. I want you to put it to his temple, and I want you to pull the trigger." According to the affidavit, Chandler also said: "That is what I want you to do as my agent."
"That's what I want you to do as my elected official. That's what I am petitioning you to do with my free speech. I want you to kill the President. I want you to assassinate the President. That's what I want you to do. Now, Senator, are you gonna come after me? Are you going to try me because of my voice and what I said?"
Authorities said Chandler had also left an earlier voicemail on April 18 in which he allegedly threatened violence against wealthy individuals and the lawmaker’s family.
In that message, he reportedly said, "Sir, I have, uh, I'm calling this morning 'cause I want you to imagine a scenario. I want you to imagine a scenario where all the 1200 billionaires in this country, all their properties are surrounded simultaneously by a thousand people." He later added: "[T]hat is the future."
"It's not a future I want, it's not a future I'm advocating for, but wealth concentration has gotten so bad in this country. The greed has gotten so bad. People are suffering so much, sir, that that is what is in our future. You will not escape their wrath. We must redistribute the wealth away from people like you."
The FBI said it reviewed voicemails from Chandler going back about a year, with messages allegedly including his name and address.
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