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Left: Raymond Chandler III (Raymond Chandler III/YouTube). Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo/Alex Brandon).
A man from Pennsylvania is facing serious charges after allegedly threatening to kill a member of Congress and urging the representative to assassinate former President Donald Trump. This alarming case centers around Raymond Chandler III, who is now entangled in federal legal proceedings.
According to an affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Chandler is charged with influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member, as well as making threats against the official themselves. These charges highlight the gravity of the accusations, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Details of Chandler’s alleged actions were laid out by an FBI agent in a criminal complaint. Interestingly, Chandler has a website that promotes his campaign for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, where he aims to succeed Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.). His campaign platform includes goals such as “Tax the Billionaires,” “Fight Against Corruption,” and “Support Working Families.”
The incident in question reportedly occurred on April 18, when Chandler left a disturbing voicemail for an unidentified U.S. representative. In the message, he presented a chilling scenario: “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 continued with increasingly alarming implications, stating, “So imagine your house, your daughter’s house, everyone you know and love who is also rich. Imagine every single one of those homes being surrounded by a thousand people. Then imagine them all getting a text and then, then suddenly taking out their pocket knives, walking slowly towards your house … and then they come and they pull you out of your house and they slit your throat and they slit your daughter’s throat and they slit everyone’s throat.”
“[T]hat is the future,” he allegedly adds. “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.”
According to federal authorities, 11 days later, Chandler turned his attention to Trump.
“You’ve probably getting quite used to my voice,” Chandler allegedly said on a voicemail to the same member of Congress. “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.”
“I am petitioning you, Senator for redress of grievances. My redress of grievances is that this president is awful,” he added, according to the FBI agent. “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.”
“That is what I want you to do as my agent,” the affidavit continues, citing the alleged voicemail. “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?”
The affidavit said that on this day — April 28 — the member of Congress’ representatives “provided the FBI” with information about the suspect. The FBI noted that it reviewed voicemails from Chandler tracing back a year, where he allegedly listed his name and address.
The defendant also reportedly targeted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in threats in April 2025, expressing his concern that “some people would be sent to death camps and that he recently bought a seven-inch combat knife and a dagger because he is terrified that his government would kill him.”
Chandler allegedly stated that he would “personally kill,” stated his “intent to build gallows to hang” the member of Congress, and “communicated his realization that violence” and death to certain people including Trump “has become necessary.”
A magistrate judge in the U.S. Western District of Pennsylvania has been assigned to the case.
It is not yet clear when Chandler will appear in court.