Micki Larson-Olson just received 180 days behind bars. https://t.co/YeT2TauiJP
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) September 30, 2022
Suspect we’re all gonna hear much more about Stewart Rhodes, though…
Jury selected in U.S. Capitol riot trial of Oath Keepers militia https://t.co/XtkxFLfBx5 pic.twitter.com/MsmstT0E6g
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 29, 2022
A jury was seated on Thursday in the criminal trial of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four associates over their alleged roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, paving the way for prosecutors to make opening statements.
Opening arguments in the case are expected to begin on Monday. The jury, which consists of seven women and nine men, will have 12 members plus four alternates…
The trial marks the most high-profile prosecution so far in the Justice Department’s investigation into the deadly attack. The Oath Keepers are a far-right, anti-government militia that is mostly made up of current and former U.S. military and law enforcement personnel.
Rhodes and his co-defendants Kelly Meggs, Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins and Kenneth Harrelson are the first people in more than 10 years to face federal charges of seditious conspiracy under a Civil War-era statute that is rarely prosecuted and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Seditious conspiracy is defined as two or more people plotting “to overthrow, put down or to destroy by force the government of the United States.”
In addition to seditious conspiracy, the five accused Oath Keeper defendants also face charges of conspiring to obstruct and of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, and conspiring to prevent an officer from discharging duties…
Prosecutors say Rhodes led and coordinated the alleged plot, which involved the defendants setting up a “quick reaction force” and stockpiling weapons at a northern Virginia hotel.
Given Rhodes’ past performance, I would not be surprised if he’s already turned on his co-defendants, in the most drama-queen self-pitying fashion possible. What I’m waiting to find out is how much (if at all) he’s been able to implicate Roger Stone and the other ‘official’ Trump hangers-on concerning the events before and during January 6th.
Insightful background on Stewart Rhodes from pimping his wife to work as a stripper to support him through college, to Yale law school, clerking for Rand Paul and founding the Oath Keepers to Trump and trial. https://t.co/MaiDf7XFtg
— Victoria L. Johnson (@VictoriaLJohnso) October 1, 2022
Just as well he’s under supervision… maybe I’m a cynic, but both of the other incidents I’ve heard about where somebody actually survived shooting their own eye out were half-hearted failed you’ll be sorry when I’m dead suicide attempts. No point in giving the Qrazies any more paranoia fodder.
Oh, and Ms. Larson-Olson?:
The only Jan. 6 case to go to trial in Superior Court. The overwhelming majority are in federal court. pic.twitter.com/q8kjIRabzx
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) September 30, 2022
frosty
And here I thought that when Biden won the election I wouldn’t have to read about TFG or his idiot supporters any more. I guess I was mistaken. Like, I thought things might get back to normal. Bastards screwed it all up.
Ahem … “Yo!”
AxelFoley
I must humbly accept…SECOND place! 🥈
Splitting Image
It’s anecdata, but the one screwball I’ve had to deal with at work the last couple of years has been pretty quiet since about May. Our Teams conferences for several months had been degenerating into discussions of how and when the government should be overthrown rather than if. Not a peep from her anymore.
Suits me. If they want to be revolutionaries, they can be lined up against a wall and shot like revolutionaries.
MattF
Joe Klein’s NYT review of Haberman’s biography of Trump. Sigh.
Amir Khalid
@MattF:
It’s paywalled. What is Joke Line saying?
Brachiator
And yet, some pundits keep insisting that all these dopes are high school educated working class stiffs suffering from economic anxiety.
MattF
@Amir Khalid: He liked the book, copied out a few anecdotes.
Patricia Kayden
Most of the January 6th defendants were given slaps on the wrist so I’m not surprised that they’re not showing any remorse. If given the opportunity, they’ll do much worse. MAGA is a cult and Dear Leader has no boundaries on what he will tell his sheep to do.
Mathguy
Need to shut down Yale and Harvard Law Schools. Too many nut jobs and treasonist turds coming out of those places.
RedDirtGirl
Kind of disturbing that I agree with Rhodes from this part of the article:
He railed to colleagues about how the Patriot Act, which gave the government greater surveillance powers after the Sept. 11 attacks, would erase civil liberties. He referred to Vice President Dick Cheney as a fascist for supporting the Bush administration’s use of “enemy combatant” status to indefinitely detain prisoners.
rikyrah
@MattF:
Clown 😡😡
Just tired of them not doing their jobs and telling us the truth in REAL TIME
VOR
A door knocker for the Republican candidate for my local state rep told me the Democrats were the party who was really restricting voter access. He got pissed off when I asked him what color the sky was in his world and accused me of getting my information from CNN.