Militia group Oath Keepers founder denies involvement in US Capitol riot
Oath Keepers militia founder Stewart Rhodes said it was stupid for any Oath Keepers to go into the Capitol
Founder of the American far-right anti-government militia, Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes has said that his group had no plans to attack the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, during a sedition trial.
Rhodes’ remarks came while testifying on Monday saying that some members of his group had joined the pro-Trump mob, calling those who entered the building "stupid."
Rhodes, a Yale Law-educated former US Army paratrooper, is on trial along with Oath Keeper associates Thomas Caldwell, Kenneth Harrelson, Kelly Meggs and Jessica Watkins on seditious conspiracy and other charges in connection with the Capitol breach. They carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
When Rhodes was asked by his own attorney, Phillip Linder, whether he talked about, planned or implied breaching the Capitol.
"No, never. Absolutely not,” Rhodes replied. “All my effort was on what Trump could do."
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Terming the events that transpired on January 6 as "horrific", Rhodes condemn the attack on police officers, saying that the mob responsible for it "should be prosecuted."
"I didn't want them to get wrapped up in all the nonsense with the Trump supporters around the Capitol. I wanted to keep them out of that. Idle hands are a devil's playground," Rhodes said.
The government has blamed the Oath Keepers for plotting to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's election victory.
The prosecutors also alleged the militia deployed a "quick reaction force" in a nearby Virginia hotel, and planned to ferry firearms into the capital if needed.
The US government in the court is trying to show that Oath Keepers had planned the weeks-long plot to seize US Capitol and that it was not a sporadic protest.
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