Militia leader Stewart Rose found guilty of sedition in January 6th Capitol attack
The founder and other leaders of a far-right militia group were found guilty of sedition on Tuesday for their role in planning the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
Federal prosecutors have charged Stewart Rose and four other leaders of the Oathkeeper Militia with trying to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 elections.
The other three Oathkeepers members charged were Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watson, Thomas Caldwell, and Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs.
Rhodes was charged with five charges based on his actions on 6 January.
After three days of deliberation, the jury found Rhodes guilty of seditious conspiracy, obstruction of official process, and falsification of documents.
The charges of sedition and obstruction carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison each.
“The Department of Justice is committed to holding those criminally responsible for the attacks on democracy on January 6, 2021 to account,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “The prosecutors and attorneys in this case have worked tirelessly with extraordinary skill and the highest traditions of the Department of Justice.”
Prosecutors have revealed that Rhodes entered a restricted portion of the Capitol grounds on January 6 after a crowd passed a police barrier. I instructed them to meet at
Meggs, Harrelson, and Watkins, along with other Oathkeepers and associates – many dressed in paramilitary clothing and wore patches bearing the Oathkeeper’s name, logo and insignia – were on display at the Capitol. They marched down the East Steps in a “stuck” formation, mob, and then invaded the Capitol,” the Department of Justice argued in court. ”
Outside the Capitol, the Oath Keepers have also organized a “rapid response force” or QRF team to assist the Capitol mob. “The QRF team is prepared to rapidly transport firearms and other weapons to Washington, D.C., in support of operations aimed at using force to prevent the lawful transfer of presidential power,” the Department of Justice said in a statement. was done,” he said.
In court Rhodes took the stand and testified that there was no plan for January 6th, and that his followers had gone rogue when they entered the Capitol.
However, recordings of Rhodes talking to his associates cast doubt on his testimony.
‘If [Trump’s] With no intention of doing the right thing and he’s just trying to get himself taken away illegally, he should have brought the rifle. [House Speaker] Pelosi from the lamppost.
“As this case shows, violations of the law that seek to undermine the functioning of American democracy will not be tolerated,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday.
Rhodes is a former U.S. Army Paratrooper and former Yale Law School attorney. He founded his Oath Keepers in 2009.
The organization quickly became one of the largest right-wing militia movements. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, it attracts “tens of thousands of current and former law enforcement officers and military veterans.”
The Oath Keepers have volunteered to provide security at far-right protests, including a 2017 right-wing rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/30/militia-leader-stewart-rhodes-guilty-of-sedition-for-january-6-capitol-attack-17856595/ Militia leader Stewart Rose found guilty of sedition in January 6th Capitol attack