Assassination Plot, Exile, and a Shockingly Light Sentence
William Robert Braddock III, a former Republican congressional candidate in Florida, has been sentenced to only three years in federal prison for threatening to assassinate sitting U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna using a so-called “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad.”
Braddock’s explicit threat was captured on taped audio, where he described in detail how Luna would “disappear” if polling showed her winning. He even warned others to stay away from her, so they wouldn’t be collateral damage when the hit was carried out.
“Within 24 hours, they’re sending me pictures of her disappearing… Close battle, combat, tech-nines, silencers—up close and personal,” Braddock is heard saying.
Despite the chilling, graphic nature of the threat, and his subsequent flight to Thailand and the Philippines to avoid prosecution, Braddock will serve just three years—a sentence that many are calling dangerously lenient.
Matt Gaetz Blows the Lid Off the Plot
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) exposed the sentencing details on OANN, calling Luna a “badass Congresswoman” and voicing disgust over the Department of Justice’s soft-handed punishment.
“Three years? They gave George Santos seven years for OnlyFans,” Gaetz said. “This guy was actively plotting to murder his opponent—and describing it like a mob hit.”
Luna, a veteran, military spouse, and conservative influencer, had already filed for a restraining order against Braddock in 2021. After public dismissal and disbelief, the taped threats proved deadly serious—and real.
Braddock’s Path: From Florida Ballot to Southeast Asia Fugitive
After the threats were exposed, Braddock fled the country, first to Thailand, then to the Philippines, where he lived until surrendering in 2023. He was extradited to the U.S. and eventually pleaded guilty to transmitting an interstate threat of injury, a charge that grossly underrepresents the gravity of the conspiracy.
Observers now wonder how someone could plot political assassination in detail, evade justice for years, and still receive a sentence lighter than many non-violent offenders.
The Bigger Question: What Happened to Justice?
Americans are left stunned. What message does it send when a candidate who threatens to kill a sitting member of Congress receives less time than someone convicted of fraud or speech-related offenses?
“It makes you wonder what vetting we’re doing on candidates,” Gaetz said. “This wasn’t just dark talk—this was a clear threat to democracy itself.”
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t campaign dirty tricks. This was a calculated plan to eliminate a political opponent through violence—and it ended with a wrist slap. Americans deserve to know:
Why is the system protecting criminals more than it protects our elected officials?
And how many more political threats are being downplayed by the DOJ?