Oath Keepers Leader, 10 Others Charged With ‘Seditious Conspiracy’ for Role in Jan. 6 Riot

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On Thursday, the Justice Department charged the leader of the Oath Keepers and 10 others with “seditious conspiracy” for their alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

The Oath Keepers leader, Stewart Rhodes, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday. The charges specifically allege that Rhodes “conspired with his co-defendants and others to oppose by force the execution of the laws governing the transfer of presidential power by Jan. 20, 2021.” This marks the first charge of “seditious conspiracy” in the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jan. 6 riot

Coverage was featured prominently in left and center-rated outlets, as well as some right-leaning outlets like Washington Examiner (Lean Right). Left-leaning outlets like the Washington Post (Lean Left) and NBC News (Lean Left) were more likely to call the Oath Keepers an “extremist” group; most coverage across the spectrum called them a “far-right militia group.”

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Stewart Rhodes, a founder and leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, has been arrested and charged in connection with events leading up to and including the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

Why it matters: Rhodes is the most prominent figure arrested on charges related to the Capitol insurrection.

State of play: Rhodes, along with 10 other defendants, was charged with seditious conspiracy.

The Justice Department has charged 11 defendants with seditious conspiracy related to the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, including the leader of the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes.

The new indictment, handed down by a grand jury on Wednesday and made public Thursday, alleges that Rhodes and his co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to "oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force, by preventing, hindering, or delaying by force execution of laws governing the transfer of power."