A Pennsylvania Democrat running for U.S. Senate in 2028 now faces federal charges after allegedly making graphic death threats against President Trump, a member of Congress, and the lawmaker’s daughter. The FBI arrested Raymond Chandler III following a months-long investigation into disturbing voicemails left between April 2025 and January 2026.
Detailed Threats Against Lawmaker’s Family
According to the criminal complaint filed in Pennsylvania’s Western District, Chandler allegedly left his first threatening voicemail on April 18, 2025. The message described a scenario where billionaires and their families would be surrounded at their homes by thousands of people wielding pocket knives. Chandler’s voicemail graphically detailed throat-slitting attacks against the congressman, his daughter, and everyone they know. He justified these violent fantasies by claiming wealth concentration had become so extreme that such violence represented America’s inevitable future.
Chandler’s campaign website reveals his far-left platform, with “Tax the Billionaires” prominently featured among sixteen priorities. His agenda includes abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and establishing universal basic income. The aspiring politician hopes to challenge Senator John Fetterman in Pennsylvania’s 2028 Democratic primary.
Direct Calls for Presidential Assassination
Days after his initial threat, Chandler allegedly escalated to direct calls for Trump’s assassination. In an April 29, 2025 voicemail, he instructed the unnamed congressman to take a firearm into the Oval Office and shoot the President in the head. Chandler framed his demand as a petition for redress of grievances, calling Trump “the antichrist” and claiming his free speech rights protected such statements. The message concluded by challenging authorities to prosecute him for his words.
Pattern of Escalating Violence
Additional voicemails cited in the FBI affidavit show Chandler’s increasingly violent rhetoric. He allegedly discussed purchasing a seven-inch combat knife and dagger because he feared government death camps. In another message, he expressed willingness to engage in armed resistance against ICE agents and declared his readiness to personally go to war. Federal prosecutors charged Chandler with threatening a federal official and their family member, along with attempting to influence or retaliate against officials through threats. The case highlights growing concerns about political violence and extreme rhetoric threatening American institutions and leaders.