Group allegedly discussed paramilitary training and 'quick reaction force' to get weapons to Capitol

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

The highest-profile prosecution to stem from the January 6 attack on the US Capitol gets under way on Monday in Washington DC, where the founder and four members of the far-right Oath Keepers group will stand trial in federal court on civil war-era charges of seditious conspiracy. It’s a high-stakes trial for the US government, which will attempt to prove that Stewart Rhodes and his associates spent weeks marshaling members of the group to prepare to use violence to deny the certification of the 2016 election and keep Donald Trump in the White House.

The five charged with seditious conspiracy – Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Jessica Watkins, Kenneth Harrelson and Thomas Caldwell – face 20 years in prison if convicted. Two of the 11 people indicted in the case – Brian Ulrich and Joshua James – have pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy. The remaining four will be tried separately. Court documents show that the Oath Keepers – described by the government as “a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias” that “explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement and first-responder personnel” – were among the individuals and groups who forcibly entered the Capitol.

Before the rally, the group had allegedly discussed paramilitary training and setting up a “quick reaction force” at a Virginia hotel that could get weapons into Washington quickly if required and had equipped themselves with thousands of dollars’ worth of guns and tactical gear, including a shotgun, scope, sights and night-vision devices.

But while Rhodes, who established the Oath Keepers in 2009, is not accused of entering the Capitol, cellphone records allegedly show he was communicating with Oath Keepers who had and was seen with members of the group afterwards. The trial, which is expected to last about five weeks, comes as at least 919 people have been arrested and charged with crimes relating to what many, before and after the events of January 6, have called an attempted coup d’etat. More than 400 have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/02/oath-keepers-stewart-rhodes-seditious-conspiracy-trial-january-6

[SledDriver]

1. "The highest-profile prosecution"

All of them are pawns. The lowest level, expendable foot soldiers. None of the ringleaders have been touched.

[Evolve Dammit]

2. True. Hopefully they will implicate those organizing, funding and fomenting the coup.

[2naSalit]

3. I think that...

Is one of the conditions of their plea deals, for at least one or two of them.

[Evolve Dammit]

4. I sincerely hope so.

[paleotn]

5. Highest to date I'd say. Working their way up the food chain.

Lets see who wants to do 20 in federal pen for Donnie. Not many I'd guess.

[calimary]

6. They all belong in a federal pen.

[Martin68]

8. Rhodes contends that he was leading a militia and acting on orders of the President, who has the

constitutional power to raise and use on militias to carry out his commands. That could very well be a handle for putting Trump in the dock for seditious conspiracy. Trump, Stone, Giuliani et al are not pawns, but they can only be indicted based on the testimony of the pawns they summons to the Capitol to prevent the certification of the electoral vote.

[msfiddlestix]

7. I wonder why Rhodes isn't being accused of being at the Capitol? Where was he giving coordinates?

Seems odd, I could have sworn the trackers identified him in the crowd at the Capitol.

Still, 20 years ain't nothing. I hope the trial proceeds without strange incidents, and is fully prosecuted,found guilty of all counts and sentenced according to the Prosecutors request.

Does anyone know who the judge is?

[Martin68]

9. Rhodes was never at the Capitol, but he is directly connected to the insurrectionists in the Capitol

by phone and was giving directions as he received information from his troops on the field.

[msfiddlestix]

11. Like a true commanding warrior

I hope his sentencing is more severe or at least equally.

[Mysterian]

10. Stuff's gettin' real for Meal Team Six

They got cheetos in prison?