Members of the far-right group Oath Keepers are accused of helping to coordinate the deadly Capitol insurrection. They were urged to rally that day by their charismatic leader, a man who has put his group at the center of numerous high-stakes conflicts. buzzfeednews.com/article/jessic…
Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, a former Army paratrooper and Yale law graduate (disbarred), founded the Oath Keepers as a non-partisan group of current and former military, police and first responders who pledge to “fulfill the oath” of defending the Constitution.
But the Department of Justice, which alleges Oath Keepers members played a key role in the insurrection, calls it “a large but loosely organized collection of militia who believe that the federal government ... is trying to strip American citizens of their rights.”
While the events of Jan. 6 are by far the most serious that the Oath Keepers have been involved in, members say it wasn’t the first time Rhodes summoned his followers to dangerous confrontations, only to leave them to face the criminal consequences. buzzfeednews.com/article/jessic…
Over the years, Rhodes has alienated members who believe he strayed from his original mission. Some told BuzzFeed News that his focus now seems to be on maximizing publicity and, in turn, growing membership and revenue. buzzfeednews.com/article/jessic…
“Like a moth to the flame,” said one former member. “He flies in, throws up a Paypal, and then disappears.” buzzfeednews.com/article/jessic…
“He’s going into people’s communities, he stirs up a hornet’s nest, and then he leaves. And the groups in that community have to deal with the fallout.” buzzfeednews.com/article/jessic…
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