Trial Showing Oath Keepers Way Through January 6th
Stewart Rhodes, founder of a militant group called the Oath Keeps, is set to face trial on Tuesday on charges of seditious conspiracy for his actions during the January 6, 2021 riot at the United States Capitol. . (September 26th)
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WASHINGTON – Days after the U.S. Capitol was overrun by a mob of pro-Trump mobs, Stewart Rose, the leader of the right-wing Oath Keepers militia, attempted to send a message to former President Donald Trump. To use the Insurrection Act and become the Republic’s “savior”.
Jason Alpers, a Dallas-based veteran and software company founder, testified Wednesday at the criminal trial of several Oath Keepers members, including Rhodes, late at night days after the Capitol riots. He testified that he met Rhodes and other Oathkeepers in the parking lot. .
Alpers told jurors that the purpose of the meeting was to convey a message from Rhodes to Trump, and Alpers said he had “indirect” access. To do so, he brought along a recording device disguised as a thumb drive.
Oathkeeper Trials: Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn denies Oath Keepers took him into custody in Jan. 6 testimony
Rhodes, Alpers, and other members of the group, including Oathkeepers attorney Kelly Sorrell, briefly described the 19th-century law, the Riot Act. It gives the president the power to call on the military and National Guard to put down an insurgency if or when requested by the state. Where riots make it impossible to enforce federal law, according to meeting records presented in evidence.
Alpers told Rose that he had heard from Trump aides that while Trump “hadn’t dropped” the Insurrection Act, Alpers didn’t think Trump would invoke it. Trump never invoked the Riot Act.
Alpers testified that Rhodes then typed a message for Trump into the Notes app on Alpers’ cell phone.
In a message shown in evidence, Rhodes urged Trump to enact legislation, suggesting that if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were to take office, he and his family would be jailed and killed. He also suggested that the Americans “will die in battle on the American mainland, fighting the traitor to whom you surrendered all the powers of the presidency.”
Rhodes also pressured Trump to arrest members of Congress, state legislators and Supreme Court opposition members who did not question the results of the 2020 election.
“Go down in history as the savior of the Republic, not as the man who surrendered it to traitors and enemies,” wrote Rhodes.
Alpers did not pass the message on to Trump.
Oath Keepers Founder’s Road to the January 6th Capitol Riot
Stewart Rose was an up-and-coming Yale Law School graduate long before building one of the largest far-right anti-government militia groups in U.S. history that would storm the Capitol on January 6, 2021. . (September 26)
APs
“There was an extremist ideology in[the message]. I believed that if I had forced that message on President Trump, he would have wrapped me up to subscribe to that ideology.” But I disagreed,” he reasoned.
After writing the message, Rhodes expanded his message to Alpers and turned to discussing the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
Alpers told Rhodes that he did not condone his actions in the Capitol that day. I found out,” he replied.
Rhodes’ only regret, Alpers recalled: “They should have brought the rifles.”
“It could have been fixed on the spot,” Rhodes said, adding that if given the chance, he would hang House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from a lamppost.
FBI Special Agent Jennifer Banks, an expert in base station analysis, found from base station records that Rhodes, Sorrell, and Oathkeeper Joshua James, who pleaded guilty to a sedition conspiracy on January 10, 2021, all lived in Texas. He testified that he was shown to have been in Dallas, State. meeting date.
Vision of Oath Keepers Explained by Former Spokesperson of Extremist Group
Former spokesman for the Oath Keepers, Jason Van Tatenhove, describes his impressions of the rebel movement.
Scott L. Hall, USA TODAY
