Thread by @Brandi_Buchman

Good morning from inside the federal courthouse in Washington, DC where Oath Keeper ringleader Elmer Rhodes and co-defendants Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Thomas Caldwell, and Kelly Meggs face trial for allegedly trying to stop the transfer of power by force on Jan. 6.

https://twitter.com/Brandi_Buchman/status/1576869936789860352

There are no cameras or cell phones permitted inside of the courtroom and no teleconference line available, so I will report from inside of the media room where a closed feed is available. Updates will post in this thread here and on our @dailykos blog. dailykos.com/stories/2022/1…

Now: #OathKeepers defendant Kelly Meggs tried this morning to get out of a jury trial and asked for a bench trial instead. Judge Mehta has now DENIED that request.

Mehta says the justification for a bench trial is unwarranted; Meggs wants what Mehta describes as "a hybrid bench-jury trial" since 4 of his co-defendants have NOT asked for a bench trial at this point. (Meggs is still concerned about jury impartiality)

NOW: The last ditch motion by Oath Keepers to change venues is DENIED by Judge Mehta this morning. (This and all motions are being heard without jurors inside the courtroom.)

Mehta: "What we have here is a jury without preconceived bias or prejudice against Oath Keepers or any of the defendants;" he adds most jurors knew nothing of the Oath Keepers and a huge number didn't watch the Jan. 6 cmte hearings let alone recall hearing about OKers

Now: Judge Mehta DENIES a request by Oath Keeper defendant Kelly Meggs to depose Col. John Siemens Meggs said he could corroborate his history of security work for OKers. Meggs also said he just heard about Siemens. But that point is quickly undone...

Siemens name was first floated publicly in this case 2 weeks ago, Mehta says.
(It's also an unbelievable assertion from Meggs because Siemens has been in the mix for a while; Rhodes put him in charge of a legal defense fund for OKers in the summer)