A Florida Republican congressional candidate has been sentenced to three years in federal prison following an attempt to have his rival opponent murdered by a Russian-Ukrainian hit squad. William Robert Braddock III, 41, of St. Petersburg was sentenced in Tampa federal court on Wednesday. In February, he pleaded guilty to sending an interstate transmission of a threat to injure U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. They were both candidates in the 2021 primary election to represent the 13th Congressional District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the months ahead of the election Braddock embarked on a campaign to disparage Luna among her peers. On a call in June 2021, Braddock threatened to have Luna murdered by a “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” if her polling numbers continued to grow. He stated, “I will be the next congressman for this district. Period. End of discussion. And anybody going up against me is f—ing ignorant for doing so. (Luna’s) ignorant so I don’t have a problem taking her out, but I’m not going to do that dirty work myself obviously.” Braddock fled to the Philippines, and gave himself up to police in Manila in June 2023. Luna was re-elected last year.
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