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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 fees for his alleged function in the lethal assault on america Capitol final yr.
Carrying handcuffs and leg irons, Stewart Rhodes made a short preliminary look in federal courtroom in Plano, Texas, on Friday within the custody of US Marshals.
Rhodes, 56, is probably the most high-profile defendant of greater than 725 charged to this point 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 mentioned at Friday’s listening to.
James Lee Vibrant, a lawyer for Rhodes, informed reporters his consumer intends to combat the costs.
“He believes he will probably be discovered not responsible,” Vibrant mentioned, including that Rhodes will oppose the federal government’s request for pretrial detention. “He has no purpose to flee. He has no passport. He has nowhere to go,” Vibrant mentioned.
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 organize for a “bloody and determined combat” to forestall Biden from changing into president.
Prosecutors mentioned 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 deliver weapons to the realm to assist help the operation, they mentioned.
“Whereas sure Oath Keepers members and associates breached the Capitol grounds and constructing, others remained stationed simply outdoors of the town in fast response drive (QRF) groups,” the Justice Division mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
“In accordance with 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 drive 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, night time imaginative and prescient goggles and ammunition.
The Oath Keepers deal with recruiting present and former police, emergency companies and army members. The far-right group believes the federal authorities is encroaching on its rights.
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