For several years, FBI agents have been looking to concoct a conspiracy theory against the Oath Keepers; the FBI has repeatedly tried to infiltrate the organization with informants to build a case against them. Because Stewart Rhodes and the Oath Keepers were present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, the FBI believes they now have a solid case against them. Rhodes and ten other individuals are being indicted in Federal Court for Seditious Conspiracy. This “seditious conspiracy” also includes charges against Edward Vallejo (Arizona), Thomas Caldwell (Virginia), Joseph Hackett (Florida), Kenneth Harrelson (Florida), Joshua James (Alabama), Kelly Meggs (Florida), Roberto Minuta (Texas), David Moerschel (Florida), Brian Ulrich (Georgia) and Jessica Watkins (Ohio). They could each face 20 years in federal prison.
On January 6th, 2021, the Oath Keepers helped protect Americans from violent counter-protestors during and after the historic protest of the 2020 election. Many Oath Keepers were among the group that entered the Capitol building as Congress proceeded to debate the electoral college results from individual states. During the protest, rogue elements of the FBI were identified as agent provocateurs, and left-wing agitators were spotted vandalizing the Capitol building. For a time, D.C. police stood down and allowed a mob of unarmed Americans into the Capitol. Some protesters entered Congressional offices. An innocent, unarmed woman was shot in the back by Capitol police. The FBI has been harassing innocent Americans for a year now, and some are detained indefinitely in D.C. jail cells -- a modern day gulag for political prisoners.
During the highly-litigated 2020 election, Stewart Rhodes and the Oath Keepers reviewed evidence and testimony of ballot stuffing, ballot harvesting, change of address ballot fraud, statistical anomalies, breached election security and other issues of election interference and election fraud. They were principally concerned about the illegitimacy of the process and the threat it imposed to the American republic. Because these serious issues were not addressed by the Democratic Party and other members of the Republican Party, the Oath Keepers joined millions of Americans in protest of the validity and process of the 2020 election on January 6th.
Rhodes made it clear that he believes the election was conducted illegitimately, that neither Biden nor Trump could be the duly elected as the President of the United States. But now Rhodes is being charged with crimes he did not commit – sedition to overthrow the American government. With the Stewart Rhodes indictment, the FBI is sending an unwavering message to all Americans: No one is allowed to question the government or protest the election process -- not in 2020 and not during the so-called elections that are to come. Why is the FBI targeting the most honorable people who seek a rightful, Constitutional election process? Is the FBI compromised by foreign entities?
The FBI indictment alleges that Rhodes coordinated and planned to travel to Washington, D.C. on or around January 6, 2021. According to the FBI’s interpretation, Rhodes and his co-conspirators “made plans to bring weapons to the area” to support an overthrow of the electoral process. This obviously did not occur. In fact, Rhodes has every right to SPEAK out publicly and privately about the illegitimacy of the election process and coordinate travel plans to a well-known, public protest. He has the right to his own CONSCIENCE, to BEAR ARMS and to ASSEMBLE with other Americans in a peaceful manner. He did not commit any acts of violence or try to strip Congressional members of their obligations or responsibilities.
In the FBI's official press release, Rhodes and his friends are accused of wearing Oath Keeper insignia on paramilitary clothing and using “quick reaction force teams” to protect themselves, as they moved in “stack” formation up the east steps of the Capitol. The FBI concludes that these actions were being used to stop the lawful transfer of presidential power by January 20, 2021. However, the Oath Keepers took no hostages, did not engage in vandalism, or make any direct threats to Congress or to the contested President-elect, let alone impede the transfer of power.
As the FBI uses Rhodes' communications as “evidence" against him,” is the FBI charging Rhodes for thought crimes, texting crimes and speech crimes? If the FBI is successful in taking down Rhodes, will Americans ever be allowed to challenge corrupt authority again? Will Americans ever be able travel to protests, bear arms or speak up about the crimes they see happening right in front of their face?
Future congressional proceedings should be watched over by men and women who understand the proclivity of government corruption. The Oath Keepers should be honored in the Capitol building, in the people’s building, by being the watchdogs over Congressional proceedings. These brave people are the ones fighting for transparency and integrity in the government! These people are the ones fighting for American values and freedom!
Learn more about Oath Keeper's founder, Stewart Rhodes:
Sources include: