The United States Department of Justice filed charges of seditious conspiracy against 11 attackers who participated in the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, including the leader of the far-right organization Oath Keepers , Stewart Rhodes.
The new charges, approved by a grand jury on Wednesday and released yesterday, allege that Rhodes and co-defendants are involved in a conspiracy to forcibly oppose the legal transfer of presidential power by forcibly preventing, hindering and delaying the execution of the laws governing the transfer of power.
With the moved, prosecutors are seeking to dismiss the notion that last year’s was an unplanned raid on Capitol Hill by excited protesters.
Prior to these accusations, the federal authorities limited themselves to accusing those linked c with the insurrection of conspiracy to obstruct legislative procedures.
A coldly calculated plan , federal prosecutors allege
The complaint, reviewed by CNN, includes details of the plans and logistics of the suspects, argues that the Oath Keepers recruited members, stockpiled weapons, and organized to try to nullify the outcome of the election in which Democratic President Joe Biden overtook Republican Donald Trump.
Prosecutors contend that the rioters continued with the plan to forcibly oppose the legal transfer of presidential power after that the chaos unleashed on Capitol Hill in Washington did not lead to the blocking of the electoral results that gave Biden the advantage.
One of defendants in the indictment said he traveled to Washington DC before January 6 for a scouting trip.
The documents also indicate that the defendants hid the weapons in a hotel in Virginia and were prepared to quickly transport them to Washington DC along with others.
The federal authorities specify in the complaint that a member of the Oath Keeper, identified as Thomas Caldwell, who was arrested in January, made a reconnaissance trip to the US capital before the date of the assault. Additionally, the prosecutors have communications sent by Rhodes to encourage the use of force in the attempted seizure of power.
“We do not we’re going through this without a civil war. It’s too late for that. Prepare your body, mind and spirit,” Rhodes said, on November 5, 2020, in a message on Signal. In December, Rhodes sent, in relation to the Electoral College certification that made Biden official as president, that there was no political or legal way to refute the above.
Earlier, prosecutors revealed that Rhodes used the messaging service during the attack to communicate with other Oath Keepers members who were on Capitol Hill. “I only see Trump complaining. I don’t see any attempt on their part to do anything,” the extremist leader would have shared. “So the patriots are taking it into their own hands. They’ve had enough,” the defendant posted around 1:38pm on the day of the assault.
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