The Justice Department is relieved that they have finally pinned down the Oath Keepers leader, Stewart Rhodes, guilty of seditious conspiracy. A US jury found Rhodes, its founder, guilty concerning the January 6 riots at the US Capitol last year.
This rare charge is the most grave to emerge from a Justice Dept. inquiry into the events on the fateful day when a mob egged on by Donald Trump stormed Washington, leading to 6 deaths.
The verdict comes after days of deliberation and the Oath Keepers founder could face up to 20 years. The Justice Dept. stated that the founder of the Oath Keepers and his cohorts were prepared to forcefully stop the peaceful handover of power after Trump’s defeat.
The Justice Dept. has also alleged that the presence of the Oath Keepers at the Capitol in 2021, was aimed at preventing, hindering, or delaying the election endorsement process. Trump has time and again alleged that the elections were stolen from him, an allegation that was disproved several times.
Justice Department Took A Calculated Risk In Filing Sedition Charges Against The Oath Keepers Founder
The charge of seditious conspiracy was loaded with risk as it was a gamble taken by the Justice Dept. to include it in the investigation against the Oath Keepers. Attorney General Merrick Garland was initially against including charges of sedition against the Oath Keepers’ leader. But after several key members changed sides, the investigators were convinced that they had a case in hand.
At a news conference, the AG said that the verdict against the Oath Keepers has proved that the department would work ceaselessly to bring to book those responsible for the attack on democracy on that fateful day.
While three members of the organization escaped the seditious conspiracy charges, the final result against its leader will convince other members to cooperate in the investigative process. It is the debatable point if the investigators can come up with sufficient evidence to bring similar charges against Trump and his close group of advisers.
