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Stewart Rhodes is charged with seditious conspiracy in relation to the US Capitol assault on January 6 final yr.
The founding father of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group has pleaded not responsible to seditious conspiracy costs for his alleged position in the lethal assault on america Capitol final yr.
Sporting handcuffs and leg irons, Stewart Rhodes made a quick preliminary look in federal court docket in Plano, Texas, on Friday within the custody of US Marshals.
Rhodes, 56, is essentially the most high-profile defendant of greater than 725 charged to date for allegedly collaborating within the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol constructing in Washington, DC.
A mob of Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol that day shortly after the previous Republican president delivered an incendiary speech by which he repeated his false claims that the 2020 US election had been marred by widespread fraud.
The US Justice Division will request that Rhodes be detained whereas he awaits trial, a prosecutor stated at Friday’s listening to.
James Lee Brilliant, a lawyer for Rhodes, informed reporters his consumer intends to struggle the fees.
“He believes he might be discovered not responsible,” Brilliant stated, including that Rhodes will oppose the federal government’s request for pretrial detention. “He has no motive to flee. He has no passport. He has nowhere to go,” Brilliant stated.
Rhodes was charged earlier this week together with greater than a dozen different members and associates of the Oath Keepers, who authorities say got here to Washington, DC, intent on stopping the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.
The indictment portrayed Rhodes as a ringleader who warned his members to arrange for a “bloody and determined struggle” to stop Biden from changing into president.
Prosecutors stated that starting in late December 2020, Rhodes used non-public encrypted communications to plan to journey to the US capital on January 6, 2021. He and others deliberate to carry weapons to the world to assist help the operation, they stated.
“Whereas sure Oath Keepers members and associates breached the Capitol grounds and constructing, others remained stationed simply outdoors of the town in fast response pressure (QRF) groups,” the Justice Division stated in an announcement on Thursday.
“Based on the indictment, the QRF groups had been ready to quickly transport firearms and different weapons into Washington, D.C., in help of operations aimed toward utilizing pressure to cease the lawful switch of presidential energy.”
The indictment additionally says Rhodes spent 1000’s of {dollars} stockpiling gear and weapons, together with an AR-15 rifle, evening imaginative and prescient goggles and ammunition.
The Oath Keepers give attention to recruiting present and former police, emergency providers and navy members. The far-right group believes the federal authorities is encroaching on its rights.
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