Oath Keepers leader Stuart Rhodes released from prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy

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Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right extremist group the Oath Keepers, has been released from prison after serving an 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. . Rhodes is a divisive figure in politics and the highest-profile defendant to be convicted of seditious conspiracy, a rarely used charge that targets individuals who plot to overthrow or undermine a government. The Oath Keepers are a militia founded in 2009 by the far-right anti-government group Rhodes. The organization claims to defend the U.S. Constitution and recruits current and former military personnel, law enforcement officers and first responders. However, its members have been widely criticized for promoting conspiracy theories, engaging in armed confrontations, and fostering white supremacy, anti-Semitism, and nativist ideologies. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have labeled the Oath Keepers an extremist group that uses patriotic rhetoric to conceal its racist and xenophobic agenda. The group has repeatedly targeted marginalized communities and made unfounded accusations of government overreach, electoral fraud and social breakdown. Stewart Rhodes played a central role in organizing the Oath Keepers' participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection, when hundreds of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2017. Attempts to derail the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory. Prosecutors accuse Rohde of orchestrating an effort to incite violence and obstruct the peaceful transfer of power. Evidence presented at the trial revealed coded messages and meetings between Rohde and other Oath Keepers members in which they discussed stockpiling weapons and launching an armed rebellion if necessary. While Rohde himself did not enter the Capitol, he was found guilty of directing his followers to break into the building and supporting their actions from nearby. In May 2023, Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for sedition and other charges. Rhodes was sentenced to the maximum sentence on January 6. Before his conviction, Rhodes was a polarizing figure with a long history of inflammatory comments. Rhodes, a former Army paratrooper and graduate of Yale Law School, has used his legal and military background to lend credibility to the Oath Keepers. He frequently warned of a coming civil war, making baseless claims that the federal government was conspiring to confiscate Americans' guns and deny them their freedoms. Under his leadership, the Oath Keepers participated in multiple armed confrontations, including the 2014 Bundy standoff at the Nevada ranch and the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. These incidents, along with the group's involvement in the January 6 riots, cemented the group's reputation as one of the most dangerous far-right groups in the country. Although Rhodes was imprisoned, he remained unrepentant. During his sentencing, he called himself a “political prisoner.” Like this: Like Loading… Discover more from Baller Alert Subscribe to get the latest posts delivered to your email.

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