Feds: Oath Keepers sought ‘violent overthrow’ of government

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal prosecutor says Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four associates discussed using violence to overturn the results of the 2020 election for weeks and saw an opportunity to do it when rioters started attacking the Capitol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy told jurors Friday in her closing argument that Rhodes’ words show he was preparing to lead a rebellion to keep Democrat Joe Biden out of the White House. Rhodes testified he just engaged in bombastic talk. Prosecutors are urging jurors to convict the five defendants of seditious conspiracy. They’re the first Jan. 6 defendants to stand trial on the rare Civil-War era charge. The defendants are from Texas, Ohio, Virginia and Florida.