Sources tell us prosecutors are looking to build a case against Stewart Rhodes and possible separate charges against the national organization. Virginia Fuller first encountered the Oath Keepers in 2009 at a meeting in San Francisco featuring Rhodes, the groups founder. He said he is no longer active in the group in Massachusetts. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes it as one of the largest far-right antigovernment groups in the U.S. today whose members have participated in multiple armed standoffs against the government.. The Texas Freedom Force, however, says on Twitter that the FBI has it wrong and that the group "is not a extremist militia (we are a nonprofit) & are far from extremist, the FBI didn't do their homework.". Alright. You are saying so help me God because Gods going to punish you if you dont keep it..

In 2014, they took their fight to the Nevada desert. Like many other militia organizations, its members style themselves as defenders of the U.S. Constitution as they, and not legislatures or the courts, interpret it. Haran grew up in Coney Island, near a middle-class apartment complex built by Trumps father, and he remembered Trump as a braggadocious playboy, not as the successful self-made businessman he later played on TV. If I opposed people based on their views for being a judge of elections or anything, that would eliminate a whole lot of people, Hillen said. Cathy York: Anybody that doesn't support our Constitution and follow it, they're trying to change it. O'Reilly: So each soldier makes up his mind whether the order he's given is constitutional or not? Thirteen people associated with the Oath Keepers have been charged with federal crimes, including Jess Watkins who has pled not guilty. (AP Photo/Susan Their name is a reference to the oath they took to defend the U.S. Constitution. They were anti-government, Haran said of the GOP, but now theyre being anti-democracy., Published with permission from ProPublica. There will be a lot of bloodshed if it comes down to that, trust me.". Pushed our way into the Rotunda. The group's leader, Stewart Rhodes, is charged, along with four others, with seditious conspiracy - plotting to oppose the transfer of presidential power. Informed that members were photographed wearing tactical gear, Dwyer responded, OK, that surprises me. Idaho state Rep. Chad Christensen lists his Oath Keepers membership on his official legislative biography, in between the John Birch Society and the Idaho Farm Bureau. I can help when the federal government tries to enact martial law upon us citizens [all sic].

Durfee has not been charged and said he did not enter the building. Cathy York: It coulda been. Stewart Rhodes in 2009: Hooah! (There is no evidence of widespread fraud that could have affected the outcome in Pennsylvania or any other state. More than 100 people are current members of the military, and some 80 members who, as of early August, are either running for or have served in public office, according to the report. Javed Ali is a former NSC senior director and was a counterterrorism official at the FBI under the Trump administration. The FBI describes the Oath Keepers as a "large but loose organized collection of militia who believe that the federal government has been coopted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights.". Among them, current and former military and law enforcement.

In 2020, he joined his local precinct committee and started regularly attending party meetings. They move in a 'stacked' military formation, methodically working through the crowd up the Capitol steps towards the doors just as the Capitol doors are breached. The Oath Keepers view themselves as defenders of the U.S. Constitution, but organizations that monitor right-wing extremists say the group is a dangerous militia. He did appear again last month, on "Infowars," this time from his car, saying he didn't order Oath Keepers to enter the Capitol, but defended the members who are now in jail and criticized those who put them there. The far-right Oath Keepers took center stage Tuesday during the Jan. 6 hearings in Congress, with a former spokesman for the paramilitary group telling lawmakers Booth joined the Oath Keepers as an annual member in 2011 and said he hasnt heard from them in years. Kidwell declined to comment, calling the membership list stolen information. A spokesperson for the state house speaker declined to comment on Kidwells and Clampitts Oath Keepers affiliation. Javed Ali: That is just a small demonstration of capability that luckily didn't turn into a more lethal threat. During the riot, Ms Watkins messaged other Oath Keepers, telling them that 30-40 members were "sticking together and sticking to the plan". Haran thought back to when he ran for office as a Republican, in 2000, and lost. That mysterious woman is Jessica Watkins, a 38-year-old Army veteran. The Oath Keepers found members in all corners of Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to the Cape and Islands. }Customer Service. How are you gonna do that? The Oath Keepers are a virulently anti-government, violent extremist group, whose members have been arrested in connection with a wide range of criminal activities, including seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and including various firearms violations, conspiracy to impede federal workers, The crowd, mostly retirees, meet twice a month to talk about how to survive disasters like forest fires, attacks on the power grid, and civil war. The Oath Keepers, founded in 2009 by Stewart Rhodes, is a loosely organized conspiracy theory-fueled group that recruits current and former military, police and first Stewart Rhodes, founder of the citizen militia group known as the Oath Keepers speaks during a rally outside the White House in Washington, on June 25, 2017. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Alleged members of several different right-wing and extremist groups are facing charges in connection with the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol. Diehl asked his supporters to respect the election results and give Governor-elect Maura Healey a shot at success. In recent months, Trump supporters have flooded into precinct positions in South Carolina and other states as part of an organized movement inspired by the stolen election myth, ProPublica reported in September. His listing in the database is unsurprising given that he named himself as an Oath Keeper in his official legislative, Lieutenant Philip Mercurio, who works for the city of Pittsburghs public safety department, described himself as a firearms instructor who would spread the word to my students. In the wake of the Oath Keepers data leak, the lieutenant was, A former member of the National Guard asked for Oath Keepers assistance, writing, I would like YOUR support in preparing the next generation of National Guard leadership. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. Details of their arrests highlight how various extremist groups, with members throughout the country, coalesced to support Trump and his (disproven) claims that the November election was stolen. Gli Oath Keepers sono americani che hanno lavorato per il governo e che hanno visto cose scandalose che vogliono correggere tenendo fede al giuramento (oath) che hanno fatto nel momento di entrare nel governo. The group claims that a significant number of its members are current or former Tarvin said he stands by the pledge he signed and said he isnt aware of the Oath Keepers involvement in the Capitol breach on Jan 6. Prior to this years primary season, ADL confirmed 42 Oath Keepers-aligned individuals who were up for election for public office in 2022, consisting of 22 incumbents and 20 candidates. Federal prosecutors are accusing Thomas Edward Caldwell, an apparent leader of the group, of helping to plan and coordinate the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Clampitt said he opposes violence but stood by his Oath Keepers affiliation, despite the dozens of members charged in the Capitol riot.

She didnt respond to requests for comment. According to a federal indictment, Mr Rhodes and others bought thousands of dollars of weapons and gear over the next two months, made plans to stash guns, and organised members into military-style units. Guy Wesley Reffitt, of Wylie, Texas, was arrested Jan. 18 in his home state. announced last month that he wont be seeking reelection.

Finally, it is important to note once more that an individuals inclusion in the Oath Keepers database is not proof that they were or are still an Oath Keeper, that they hold or held all or some Oath Keepers ideology or viewpoints, or that they ever actively participated in Oath Keepers activities. And that's when I heard this mysterious woman narrating her march to the Capitol and eventually inside. Edited by Peter M. Berman. Tell me when!

On 5 November, the Oath Keepers' leader told supporters on Signal, a private messaging app: "We aren't getting through this without a civil war. Republican candidate Ron Beaty of Barnstable and Committeeman David A. Sanders of Wilbraham were both included on an Oath Keeper membership list obtained by the nonprofit journalist collective Distributed Denial of Secrets.

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When groups like that become emboldened, it makes them significantly more dangerous.. The Oath Keepers are a virulently anti-government, violent extremist group, whose members have been arrested in connection with a wide range of criminal activities, including seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and including various firearms violations, conspiracy to impede federal workers, possession of explosives and threatening public officials, said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. Eric Williams, police chief in Idalou, Texas, also said in an email that he hasn't been a member or had any interaction with the Oath Keepers in over 10 years. People allegedly affiliated with organizations such as The Three Percenters, The Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Texas Freedom Force, and other self-described Nazis and white supremacists were among the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol building, according to federal investigators. She's the leader of a self-described Ohio militia group and member of the Oath Keepers. If you don't mind the ads and would rather donate, please select one of the options below: Guards Convicted For Torturing Jail Inmates With 'Baby Shark', Shocking Report On Baltimore Catholic Church Abuse Released, Shameless GOPers May Expel TN Legislators Today Over Gun Protest. They pleaded not guilty. Dominic Pezzola, a former Marine and Proud Boys member known as "Spaz" or "Spazzo" was arrested Jan. 15 in New York. We have active-duty law enforcement in our organization that are helping to train us. In 2009, in Lexington, Massachusetts, where the first shots were fired in the Revolutionary War, Stewart Rhodes founded the Oath Keepers in response to the election of Barack Obama. His affiliation was reported Tuesday by Rolling Stone. All have pleaded not guilty. According to experts who monitor violent extremism, the Oath Keepers broadening membership provides the group with two crucial resources: money and, particularly when government officials get involved, legitimacy. Pence was at the Capitol in hiding during the attack. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ADL takes no position in support of or opposition to candidates for political office.

Zello transmission from the Capitol on January 6: OK guys, we're on an open channel here now, These are the voices of far-right extremists communicating with each other in real-time from homes across America and on the ground in Washington. Gieswein told reporters that "corrupt" politicians, of which he includes President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, have sold the country out to the "Rothschilds and Rockefellers." Mike Rice: It could have been a false flag as far as I'm concerned. According to DDoSecrets, the list includes people who signed up and paid dues to the organization, which was then analyzed state by state by the antisemitism-focused civil rights watchdog group Anti-Defamation League. The Cape Cod Times described Beaty as a local gadfly who describes himself as The Donald Trump of Cape Cod." Bush and former Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy. He claimed to take direction from his own interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and a personal library of 230 books about U.S. history pre-1900. Teargassed, the whole, 9. The membership list also names Alaska state Rep. David Eastman as a life member and Indiana state Sen. Scott Baldwin and Georgia state Rep. Steve Tarvin as annual members.

I teach new recruits about the potential constitutional decisions that they may be forced to make as Guardsmen and would like copies of the constitution to give., One doctor wrote: Many of my patients are police officers, troopers, FBI agents, CIA and in the military. Jensen said he felt compelled to join because he believed in the oath that we took to support the US Constitution and to defend it against enemies foreign and domestic." The Capitol belongs to the people.. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. When reviewing this information, you should bear in mind the possibility that the individual misunderstood the nature of the Oath Keepers. That goes against everything we've ever taught, everything we believe in. It didnt take long for the Oath Keepers to begin attracting members with more extreme ideas.. Less than two weeks after Rhodes left Massachusetts, the FBI arrested More than 400 people have now been charged in one of the most complex investigations the Department of Justice has ever faced the January 6 attack on the Capitol. In addition, ADL is informing law enforcement agencies (with appropriate caveats) across the country that a person with a name matching one of their employees was found in the Oath Keepers database. Its a solemn oath, its an obligation between you and God. In the months since the violence, evidence has emerged of prior planning and potential co-ordination between groups. And the issue of him being an Oath Keeper is just sort of like confirmation of what he's already made known to the populace in terms of his point of view, his agenda and his political stance. hide caption. It's stupid. As a supporter of the Constitution, I had strong differences and concerns about Trump, Maul said in a text message. Oath Keeper Donovan Crowl cell phone video: Overran the capitol! Define what radical is., Not all party officials shared Siegerts view.

The Oath Keepers have become indelibly tied to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and their leader, Stewart Rhodes, was convicted of seditious conspiracy related to that day. He has co-sponsored a bill to allow elected officials to carry concealed guns in courthouses, schools and government buildings, and he supported legislation stiffening penalties for violent demonstrations in response to last years protests in Raleigh over George Floyds murder. Beach and Echols did not respond to requests for comment. On the evening of 6 January he sent another message: "Patriots entering their own Capitol to send a message to the traitors is NOTHING compared to what's coming.". The name "Oath Keepers" itself is a call-back to the oath such individuals swore to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. The Oath Keepers founder, a former Army paratrooper and Yale Law School graduate named Stewart Rhodes, invited Dwyer to speak at the groups kickoff rally they Broadcast associate, Elizabeth Germino. Among the many professions held by list members are religious figures, teachers, civil engineers and government employees. In addition to those currently serving in the military, ADL estimates that o. MASSACHUSETTS Hundreds of Massachusetts residents are members of the Oath Keepers militia group one of the extremist groups federal prosecutors say He did not respond to a request for comment. That at least gives them a capability that a lot of other people in this far right space don't have. The ADL told GBH News that it is not revealing the names of individual law enforcement officers or members of the military as this report is not meant to dox rank-and-file personnel.. Three Oath Keepers have already pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and could be called as witnesses at the trial. Maul said he let his membership lapse because there wasnt a local chapter, but he still likes the groups concept. The organization's name alludes to Hollinshead said he wanted to learn about the group and recalls paying for access to content on the Oath Keepers website, but that was the extent of his involvement. Other legal filings alleged that Mr Meggs boasted on Facebook messages about creating an alliance with Proud Boys and Three Percent militia members. Another individual charged is Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, who as a defense contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey has a security clearance and access to a variety of munitions, according to court documents. Rather, he said he has concerns about how the groups leaders spend its money. Their views were far too extreme for me, Shawn Mobley, the Otero County, Colorado, sheriff, told the AP in an email. That they were using Zello to plan their travel to Washington D.C. That they were going to have separate channels for people gathering intel and separate channels for boots on the ground. They formed a board of directors and ten orders to live by, elevating themselves to 'guardians' of the republic and the Constitution, vowing to protect against mass gun confiscation and a Marxist invasion. He is facing charges of trespassing on restricted areas of the Capitol grounds and obstruction of justice. There are two Massachusetts elected officials listed as being members of Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group, according to the Anti-Defamation League Center on When tyranny comes, thats when you stop and say youve got to do something about it, said Siegert, who heads the party in northern Minnesotas Beltrami County. I know most of them are all retired police and firemen and have the best interests of the country in mind, he said. Healey's swearing-in to a slew of last-minute bills, we discuss the latest in politics in Massachusetts and nationwide. One individual who listed an address on an Air Force base described himself as a Vocal advocate of instilling among junior officers and NCOs their allegiance to the Constitution and the American people, NOT the government, especially the President.

Every April, reenactors gather on the Lexington Battle Green to commemorate the shot heard round the world that sparked the American Revolutionary War in April 1775. And Im proud to say that Im a member of that organization. He left politics in 2015 and served six months in prison for violating his probation after a drunk boating accident. I never get any updates, said Mike Hollinshead, sheriff of Idahos Elmore County.

For 18 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. he allegedly wrote at one point. Court documents say Reffitt threatened his son and daughter following his return home from the Jan. 6 siege at the Capitol. Its not their ideology that bothers him or their involvement in the Jan. 6 riot. ADL today also unveiled an interactive map, detailing the number of Oath Keepers from the membership database found in each state, broken down by category (law enforcement, military, elected official, first responder, etc.). And the group chose Lexington Common as the site of its formal launch in 2009, according to the law center. And they can't wait to get dressed up and play the role. According to an ABC News count, more than 20 people charged in the federal investigation of the Jan. 6 riots have alleged ties to the Oath Keepers. Some agencies have been responsive, but others did not respond, or responded without confirmation. Benjamin Boeke, police chief in Oskaloosa, Iowa, recalled getting emails from the group years ago and said he believes a friend may have signed him up. They're freaking shooting people with paint balls, but we're in here. Do your s**t. This is what we f***ing lived up for. That's not Oath Keepers. It's either President Trump is encouraged and bolstered and strengthened to do what he must do, or we wind up in a bloody fight we all know that. You're the biggest Oath Keepers group, why wouldn't you be talking to him.