Oath Keepers leader found guilty of seditious conspiracy
window.loadAnvato({“mcp”:”LIN”,”width”:”100%”,”height”:”100%”,”video”:”8193106″,”autoplay”:false,”expect_preroll”:true,”pInstance”:”p1″,”plugins”:{“comscore”:{“clientId”:”6036439″,”c3″:”thehill.com”,”version”:”5.2.0″,”useDerivedMetadata”:true,”mapping”:{“c3″:”thehill.com”,”ns_st_st”:”hill”,”ns_st_pu”:”Nexstar”,”ns_st_ge”:”TheHill.com”,”cs_ucfr”:””}},”dfp”:{“adTagUrl”:”https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=1×1000&iu=/5678/nx.thehill&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vmap&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&description_url=https://thehill.com/feed/&cust_params=vid%3D8193106%26pers_cid%3Dunknown%26bob_ck%3D[bob_ck_val]%26d_code%3D1%26pagetype%3Dnone%26hlmeta%3D%2Ffeed%2F%26aa%3Df”},”segmentCustom”:{“script”:”https://segment.psg.nexstardigital.net/anvato.js”,”writeKey”:”7pQqdpSKE8rc12w83fBiAoQVD4llInQJ”,”pluginsLoadingTimeout”:12}},”expectPrerollTimeout”:8,”accessKey”:”q261XAmOMdqqRf1p7eCo7IYmO1kyPmMB”,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzMTA2IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.bsTO0DtQtPQPGiTsC5Fs1IKv4eSbpDvB1rhi2mvbLS0″,”nxs”:{“mp4Url”:”https://tkx.mp.lura.live/rest/v2/mcp/video/8193106?anvack=q261XAmOMdqqRf1p7eCo7IYmO1kyPmMB&token=%7E5imwcpIHa0S%2BNC9RbliiWrloGseZvo70MQ%3D%3D”,”enableFloatingPlayer”:true},”disableMutedAutoplay”:false,”recommendations”:{“items”:[{“mcpid”:”8194100″,”title”:”McConnell holds the cards in spending fight”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/0E4/655/0E465564F026A1517B19321F69613352_4.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=a16f8acfb81fe6135baa102c02521d42″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTk0MTAwIiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.pFcdtLthC9PjvxAJXQDL6kxVqYm9Xuzc6rxn_fpBDic”,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8169981″,”title”:”This Puerto Rican green energy company offers alternative solution to the faulty grid”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/76D/CD5/76DCD5061B40F85885DB53182BCDCB5D_6.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=2e8818a138fb804666a5152df0653bf1″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTY5OTgxIiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.LiXam-cpOIn7FW2hYcBBxz94ru1v84cRsRrKN3Ol7T4″,”ad_unit_path”:”/5678/nx.thehill/changing_america/special_video_series/agents_of_change”},{“mcpid”:”8193335″,”title”:”US Passes 600 Mass Shootings For Third Straight Year”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/E26/56F/E2656FC209372241854D5EB33FAE04F5_3.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=e3244982d4145efce4d0f330a442a892″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzMzM1IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.clT9RehZNSD4CNwewJ3nNNhi427NUOD02wNiTuP1t-I”,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8112286″,”title”:”Flying robot taxis could ease traffic problems in major cities sooner than you may think”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/917/EC9/917EC9513768CE0231950846D13E5C8A_1.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=a076b3433a5e7cfff59e5cd3daab71c5″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTEyMjg2IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.8N2kb5mGGJ9Sx35V48aTxNQnOxhqS6ixF1pji2t6vfw”,”ad_unit_path”:”/5678/nx.thehill/changing_america/special_video_series/agents_of_change”},{“mcpid”:”8193890″,”title”:”Biden: ‘Congress has to act on rail strike'”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/97D/FEC/97DFECD658ED63F057A2C7920879A7B3_6.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=62079126350a82da08a98f710e9505c9″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzODkwIiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.x7d2ewCAxPBE2zrjInZFmPrADCijxzdInh0vHH5OKaM”,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8193888″,”title”:”Rep. McCarthy on Trump/White Nationalist”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/5C0/D09/5C0D09302A9B00E38CBE445480F1B93A_2.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=28fbeeee4bd82412d58dde3b7b03f921″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzODg4IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.3dBguo3qYMgyy-gUZrLNIJTg-6tZP9fgbt433_FzzC4″,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8193708″,”title”:”Five things to know about the IRS’s changes to next year’s taxes”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/FDC/2E8/FDC2E8A024227B759E2057ABE3861FA6_3.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=fccc4e4904640e8ff79274a6a3540149″,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzNzA4IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.ED8pkjRdIKhdsZNSEtec8OWMbgOajQIHWkN8zf8K_3k”,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8193705″,”title”:”McCarthy: Democrats could pick Speaker if Republicans ‘play games’ on House floor”,”image”:”https://h104216-fcdn.mp.lura.live/1/938892/pvw_lin/A95/F81/A95F81D68A8D18DD936756B9DADDF5CD_3.jpg?aktaexp=2082787200&aktasgn=9433ee30302fd05407c1b8e6bef10a8a”,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzNzA1IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.zBV4-xOGqxd4mFQZTvcGZoDFPlxB9xByzOCxSeRcPJg”,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8193302″,”title”:”House progressives betray voters by capitulating to establishment Dems every time: Tezyln Figaro”,”image”:”https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/8A8/BF9/8A8BF95D03771AA17F0966FCBB0D1970.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=bTZ5BHGs3TMfXqfP2vIyIAKrvJY”,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzMzAyIiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.kfdy0RcXFBm2eiRQpmaW-9H18xJFkQXLC2dL_aY8jfk”,”ad_unit_path”:””},{“mcpid”:”8193526″,”title”:”Russia postpones nuclear arms talks as US eyes long-range missiles for Ukraine”,”image”:”https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/D86/F65/D86F65EEBD8BB6D2889F4A7A777C2014.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=PmxI4UGFQ5ciEnBHjlAlNvp_REQ”,”token”:”eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4MTkzNTI2IiwiaXNzIjoicTI2MVhBbU9NZHFxUmYxcDdlQ283SVltTzFreVBtTUIiLCJleHAiOjE2Njk3NjczMDZ9.rDR07IX2ZTST-nKLN76Fr1TypiG-NXvkXH2GS2_CZS4″,”ad_unit_path”:””}],”duration”:5},”expectPreroll”:true,”titleVisible”:true,”pauseOnClick”:true,”trackTimePeriod”:60,”isPermutiveEnabled”:true});
Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers group, was found guilty Tuesday of seditious conspiracy over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots, a win for the Justice Department as it pursues the little used charge for members of multiple extremist groups who contributed to the chaos at the Capitol.
Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs was also found guilty of seditious conspiracy, while all five defendants on trial were found guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding.
The trial brings the most significant verdict yet in a Justice Department investigation that has led to charges for more than 700 individuals but where many of its most high-profile cases, including other members of extremist groups, have yet to reach their conclusion.
Seditious conspiracy carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and hasn’t been used successfully since a 1990s terrorism case.
The verdict is especially significant in the case of Rhodes, a Yale-educated lawyer who never entered the Capitol that day but instead communicated with other Oath Keepers as they forced their way into the building and through the halls of Congress.
While Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins and Thomas Caldwell were found not guilty on seditious conspiracy charges, each was found guilty on multiple other felonies that also carry up to 20 years in prison.
All four who faced charges of tampering with evidence — a group that excluded Harrelson — were found guilty.
The five were among nearly a dozen Oath Keepers charged with seditious conspiracy, with four more facing trial in December.
Members of the right-wing Proud Boys are also due in court on seditious conspiracy charges next month, including the group’s leader, Enrique Tarrio, who, like Rhodes, never entered the Capitol and was not present in Washington that day.
Tuesday’s verdict capped a trial that stretched nearly two months, as well as three days of jury deliberations.
The government called more than two dozen witnesses in the case, including law enforcement officials and two Oath Keepers members who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges.
Much of the case centered on a painstaking review of different text messages and Facebook communication among members of the group, with prosecutors repeatedly pointing to the “we” language used to solidify the coordination necessary for the seditious conspiracy charge, which requires “two or more people.”
“They concocted a plan for an armed rebellion to shatter a bedrock of American democracy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nestler told jurors at the start of the trial.
—Updated at 6:03 p.m.
Source: TEST FEED1
