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 Pennsylvania man is accused of threatening to kill a member of Congress and asking the representative to assassinate President Donald Trump.
Raymond Chandler III has been federally charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member and with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threat, according to an affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime.
An FBI agent details in the criminal complaint the allegations against Chandler, who has a website set up announcing his campaign for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania to replace Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.). The page breaks down his goals: "Tax the Billionaires"; "Fight Against Corruption"; and "Support Working Families."
On April 18, Chandler reportedly left a voicemail with an unidentified U.S. representative in which he stated, "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."
"So imagine your house, your daughter's house, everyone you know and love who is also rich," he goes on, according to the affidavit. "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.