USA: Far-right Oath Keepers founder pleads not guilty to sedition | Politics News

Stewart Rhodes is charged with sedition conspiracy in connection with an attack on the US Capitol on January 6 last year.

The founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group has pleaded not guilty to seditious conspiracy charges for his alleged role. deadly attack last year at the U.S. Capitol.

Wearing handcuffs and leg irons, Stewart Rhodes made an initial brief appearance in the federal court in Plano, Texas, under the care of U.S. Marshals.

Rhodes, 56, is the most famous defendant Charged more than 725 to date for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Washington, DC Capitol Building attack.

A pro-Donald Trump group attacked the Capitol that day, shortly after the former Republican president was handed over. a passionate speech where he repeated his own false claims That the 2020 U.S. election was a widespread scam.

The U.S. Department of Justice is requesting Rhodes to be arrested while awaiting trial, a prosecutor said at a hearing on Friday.

James Lee Bright, a lawyer from Rhodes, told reporters that his client intends to face charges.

“He thinks he will be acquitted,” Bright said, adding that the Rhodes government will oppose the request for a remand sentence. “He has no reason to run away. He doesn’t have a passport. He has nowhere to go, “Bright said.

It was Rhodes charge Earlier this week, along with more than a dozen other members and members of the Oath Keepers, authorities said they had come to Washington to stop President Joe Biden’s election victory certificate.

The indictment warned Rhodes to warn his comrades to prepare for a “bloody and desperate fight” to prevent Rhodes from becoming president of Biden.

The prosecutor said that starting in late December 2020, Rhodes used encrypted private communications to travel to the U.S. capital on January 6, 2021. He and others planned to bring weapons to help with the operation, they said.

“While some members and affiliates of Oath Keepers violated the Capitol plot and building, others were left out of the city in the Rapid Reaction Force Groups (QRF),” the Justice Department said Thursday.

“According to the indictment, the QRF team is in favor of operations aimed at using force to stop the legal transfer of presidential power to the rapid transportation of firearms and other weapons to Washington, DC.”

The indictment also alleges that Rhodes spent thousands of dollars piling up equipment and weapons, including an AR-15 rifle, night-vision goggles and ammunition.

The filmmakers focus on hiring current and regular police, emergency services and military members. The far-right group believes the federal government is violating its rights.