US Capitol Hill Riots: Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs charged with sedition, may face prison up to 20 years

Stewart Rhodes, the founder of Oath Keepers has been found guilty of plotting to prevent US President Joe Biden from taking office after his victory in the 2020 election.

The judgment against Rhodes came after a trial of two months, during which the prosecutors accused him of plotting and leading an armed rebellion following Donald Trump’s defeat.

Supporters of Donald Trump and members of Oath Keepers marched into the Capitol Hill building on January 6, 2021, to stop Joe Biden from taking over office. Apart from Rhodes, Kelly Meggs was also found guilty of seditious conspiracy, and both may be sentenced to a prison term of up to 20 years. Jessica Watkins, Kenneth Harrelson, and Thomas Caldwell went inside the building and were found guilty of obstructing an official proceeding.


According to media reports, Stewart Rhodes took charge of the riots like a battlefield general. Rhodes's text message history indicated that he instigated the rioter to “rise up in insurrection.” Prosecutors also claimed that members of Oath Keepers stashed several weapons in a hotel across the Potomac rivers in Washington DC.
Rhodes and Meggs’s is the first seditious conspiracy conviction in the United States in 27 years. The law was first implemented to prevent citizens of the southern states from fighting the US government during the Civil War. However, lawyers representing Rhodes and Meggs confirmed that they would go for an appeal against the conviction.

What is “Oath Keepers”?

Oath Keepers is a far-right militia anti-government militant organization in the United States founded in 2009. The militant organization has been involved in stand-offs against the government, like Bundy Ranch Standoff (2014) and Sugar Pine Mince Standoff (2015). The group members had prominent participation in the Capitol Attack when 8-10 Oath Keepers members entered the Capitol Building to execute an organized attack.

FAQs:

1. Who is Steward Rhodes?
   Stewart Rhodes is the founder of the far-right militant organization Oath Keepers.
2. When was the seditious conspiracy law introduced?
   During the Civil War.