Far-right groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys are a significant topic of conversation as the House Select Committee begins to conduct public hearings on the Jan. 6 insurgency.
At the same time, the leaders of both groups are being investigated for seditious conspiracy. They are accused of cooperating “to resist by force the jurisdiction of the United States Government.”
It might be tough to prove the accusations in court.
Panel Has Evidence To Link Proud Boys And Oath Keepers To The Capitol Attack
The revelation of text exchanges by the Justice Department also revealed that the two organizations were in contact before Jan 6. Meanwhile, one guy, Joshua James, seems to have been a member of both the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys at the same time. Quested’s video footage showing Joseph Biggs, a member of the Proud Boys accused of seditious conspiracy on Monday, having a brief discussion with another guy at the Peace Monument at the bottom of Capitol Hill, is anticipated to dominate the inauguration hearing.
The Proud Boys as a nationwide organization are composed of semi-autonomous sections with variable numbers and talents, much like any other street gang. They communicate and collaborate with other chapters to varying degrees. It is unclear how interested – or capable – most members are in actually overturning the government.
Oath Keepers is an anti-government organization that describes itself as a “militia” dedicated to upholding the Constitution and combating tyranny. Former Oath Keepers spokesperson Jason Van Tatenhove said that the group is “selling the revolution,” implying that the group is peddling conspiracy theories and misinformation to incite clashes with federal authorities. However, the charges stemming from the Jan. 6 insurgency – which allegedly involved hundreds of people – show that cops and prosecutors are concerned about the threat of violent activity by Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other far-right groups against people, organizations, and local and national governments.
