Pennsylvania man arrested for ‘Memorial Day’ terror plot against 20 Democratic lawmakers

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for allegedly posting a “hit list” and online threats against 20 Democratic state lawmakers and making threatening comments about a Memorial Day plot.

Adam G. Berryhill, 42, of Lebanon County, was arrested last Wednesday and subsequently charged with making terroristic threats.

“Through investigation, it was determined that...Adam G. Berryhill, had posted politically violent posts on his X account,” Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement on Tuesday. “Berryhill posted a ‘hit list’ of elected officials and made statements about shooting. The posts also included a picture of a firearm and made mention of a ‘Memorial Day Operation.’”

Berryhill allegedly called the lawmakers “communist infiltrators” and spoke of challenging them first via the law, then with violence, according to a criminal complaint in county court, obtained by NBC10.

“I’ll approach every legal avenue and when they all fail I start shootings,” the complaint reads.

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In other posts, Berryhill allegedly disparaged conservatives and said “war” was his “solution” for his grievances with the government.

The Independent has contacted the Lebanon County Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Berryhill, for comment.

Rep. Malcom Kenyatta, one of the threatened lawmakers, condemned the alleged threats.

“This is not the first time I’ve had to deal with a credible death threat,” Kenyatta told Spotlight Pennsylvania. “Unfortunately, in our body politic, there seems to be more and more instances of people feeling like it is OK to threaten, or in very tragic scenarios, inflict violence on people with whom they disagree.”

Some of the targeted lawmakers alleged they were not warned of the threats against them until earlier this week.

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“I think it’s egregious,” State Sen. Katie Muth, who learned of the arrest after getting a letter about Berryhill’s upcoming court appearances, told Spotlight Pennsylvania. “There is an utter disregard for our existence. … This is wild to me.”

In 2016, Berryhill pleaded guilty to three counts, including making terroristic threats, after being accused of breaking into a bedroom with an axe and threatening to kill the women hiding inside, according to the outlet.

“The law enforcement process worked as it should to keep public officials safe, and the individual responsible for the threats is now behind bars,” the Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement to The Independent. “At the time of the threat, PSP notified the law enforcement agencies responsible for the security of the elected officials involved. PSP takes threats against the lives of public officials seriously and will continue to work with members of the General Assembly to ensure the safety of public officials in Pennsylvania.”

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The arrest comes at a tense time for elected officials in the state. Multiple people have been arrested for threats against Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is also a Democrat.

Last year, Cody Balmer pleaded guilty to attempted murder and arson for setting fires inside the governor’s residence.

Political violence has spiked in recent years in the U.S., and officials on all sides of the political spectrum have faced threats and attacks, ranging from the alleged anti-Trump shooting plot at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April to fatal shootings last year targeting Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota.

2025 was the first time in more than 30 years that left-wing terror attacks outnumbered those from the right, according to a September analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.