As we wait on a federal magistrate judge in Texas to rule on whether Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III should be released pretrial in his seditious conspiracy case, here's some new reporting on his proposed custodians in California. (THREAD)
As @joshgerstein reported, a family member identified in court only as Benjamin told the judge that he had no connections to the Oath Keepers or the Capitol riot.
CNN reported that Benjamin testified that family members who live on the ranch in California are not Oath Keeper members. cnn.com/2022/01/24/pol…
But, as online sleuths with Capitol Terrorists Exposers uncovered, that's not the whole story.
"IM GOING LIVE FOR OATH KEEPERS AT HIGH NOON FOR THE BIGGEST RALLY YET," Benjamin's wife (Rhodes' relative) posted in 2020.
(I independently confirmed the family's identity.)
Rhodes' attorney has not responded to a request for comment.
Here's Benjamin getting one-name billing on the court docket:
And here's Benjamin's wife (and Rhodes' relative):
.@stevanzetti reported that the judge seemed more inclined towards the Californians. Unclear whether feds knew about the Oath Keepers’ ties before a few hours ago, or whether they’ll attempt to furnish this information to the court before a decision comes out.
Officer Jeffrey Smith died by suicide just days after the Capitol attack. Now, thanks to his body camera video, we know much more about all that he went through on Jan. 6. Watch: huffpost.com/entry/jeffrey-…
A D.C. resident was stressed after the Jan. 6 attack, so she visited her chiropractor a few blocks from the Capitol. Here’s what happened next: huffpost.com/entry/jeffrey-…
Hours after the initial melee inside the Capitol building involving the Capitol Hill chiropractor, Officer Jeffrey Smith was struck by a metal pole outside the Capitol. Here’s the view from his body camera just after that attack: huffpost.com/entry/jeffrey-…
"The evidence shows Defendant orchestrated a large-scale attack on the federal government with the purpose of intimidating, by violence, federal officials and disrupting official governmental proceedings incident to the transfer of power…”
"Defendant’s authoritative role in the conspiracy, access to substantial weaponry, and ability to finance any future insurrection, combined with his continued advocacy for violence against the federal government, gives rise to a credible threat…”
"Here, the Court is not faced with a peaceable assembly and petitioning, as Defendant’s extraordinary actions and the ripple effects that followed are outside the bounds of protected activities.”
Sentencing hearing underway for QAnoner Nicholas Languerand, who repeatedly assaulted cops at the Capitol and claims he feels "lied to and betrayed" by leaders he respected.
Judge John Bates finds that 46 months in prison is the bottom of the advisory sentencing guideline.
"People who engage in terrorism always think they're in the right," federal prosecutor tells the judge.
DOJ quotes Languerand: “If you are ok with fraudulently certifying an election to win, then I’m ok with attacking a government building to stop you”
NEW: Virginia’s Markus Maly (at right) arrested and charged with spraying officers at the Capitol.
"Online sleuths identified this subject as #JohnSprayne."
“There were lots of pissed off patrios there and we wanted our voices to be heard. I myself one [sic] of them. We were there to support President Trump and the voting process. A voting process that was hijacked and stolen from us.” justice.gov/usao-dc/press-…
"I did have a riot shield but half way back to the bus a cop say [sic] me and took it from me.”
DOJ’s sentencing memo cites Caplinger’s quote tweet of @haleytalbotnbc in July in which Caplinger called members of Congress huddled in the balcony during the Capitol attack "worthless cowards.”
The Capitol rioter in the purple hat who flings the officer to the ground here so the mob can storm the Capitol is no. 166 on the FBI's Capitol Violence page, and known to sleuths as #smokyinsider.