US Builds Case against Oath Keepers Leader Over January 6 Attack

United States government lawyers have charged about half of the 800 rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6.

Among those charged are 12 members of the Oath Keepers. It is one of the largest anti-government militia¹ groups in the United States. Eight men and four women have been charged with plotting to use force to block President Joe Biden's presidential victory.

Kelly Meggs is one Oath Keeper being charged. Meggs is the head of the Oath Keeper's in Florida. She is accused of planning the attack with the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters, other militia groups.

Grayden Young is another member of the Oath Keepers. He is accused of receiving weapons and military training for himself and others. A third member, Kelly Watkins, is accused of finding people to join the January 6 attack. "I need you fighting-fit by inauguration²," she told one person.

The 12 Oath Keepers face five criminal charges, from conspiracy³ to obstruction⁴ of an official government process. The obstruction charge carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

One person missing from prosecution⁵ is Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers. Prosecutors⁷ appear to be building a conspiracy case against him.

Aitan Goelman is a lawyer and former federal prosecutor⁶. He said the government might not have enough evidence to charge Rhodes.

"So far, they haven't provided any evidence that Rhodes was part of a conspiracy, which is an agreement to storm the Capitol," Goelman said. "Maybe they have that. Maybe that's forthcoming."

Jimmy Gurulé is also a former federal prosecutor. He said the government is slowly building a case against Rhodes. To charge Rhodes with conspiracy, there needs to be evidence he agreed with his followers⁸ to carry out the attack.

"Rhodes doesn't have to be in the Capitol building participating in the siege of the Capitol building. All he has to do is agree," Gurulé said.

In recent court documents on the 12 charged Oath Keepers, prosecutors have released communications related to January 6.

Prosecutors have released more details of Rhodes' communications with other members of the Oath Keepers. They made public a 97-second telephone call between Rhodes and Meggs nine minutes before she and other militia groups entered the Capitol. Prosecutors would not give any details of the call, but said it contains "substantial evidence" of a conspiracy to overturn the election.

Additionally, Rhodes took part in online discussions through the Signal app. It is a communications program through which Oath Keepers would secretly talk, or chat, with each other. In one chat, he told his followers what tools to bring on January 6, including flashlights, and safety coverings for their hands and head. He advised them not to bring guns.

Although Rhodes never entered the Capitol building, he messaged orders to his followers through Signal.

"Come to South Side of Capitol on steps," he wrote in one message.

He later posted a photo of the southeast side of the Capitol. He then posted the message, "South side of US Capitol. Patriots⁹ pounding on doors(.)"

Around the same time, Meggs and other rioters forced themselves into the building through the building's east side.

Gurulé called the Signal posts "very incriminating."

He said it shows Rhodes had knowledge of events as they were happening, and was advising his followers on what to do.

At a Republican gathering¹⁰ in Texas last month, Rhodes called the charges against the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys a "persecution¹¹ campaign." He said they were at the Capitol to provide security to Trump¹² supporters.

"I might go to jail soon," he said. "Not for anything I actually did, but for made-up crimes."

Words in This Story

inauguration –n. a formal ceremony introducing someone, such as a newly elected official, to office

prosecutor- n. - a lawyer who represents the side in a court case that accuses a person of a crime and who tries to prove that the person is guilty

coordinate- v. to make arrangements so that two or more people or groups of people can work together properly and well

conspiracy- n. a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal

obstruction n. the act of making it difficult for something to happen or move forward

forthcoming- adj. appearing, happening, or arriving soon

substantial- adj. strongly made

incriminate- v. to cause (someone) to appear guilty of or responsible for something (such as a crime)

persecute- v. to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs

1 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

2 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

3 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

4 obstruction   

n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物

参考例句：

• She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
• The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。

5 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

6 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

9 patriots   

爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
• These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死，也不愿投降。

10 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

11 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

12 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。