Seditious conspiracy update

Stewart Rhodes and nine alleged co-conspirators with the extremist Oath Keepers group pleaded not guilty Tuesday to seditious conspiracy and other charges in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

An 11th defendant arrested with Rhodes on Jan. 13, Edward Vallejo, was not present during a court hearing in the case Tuesday and will be arraigned later.

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Rhodes said he was communicating at the Capitol on Jan. 6 with members of his group, part of the far-right anti-government movement, in an effort to “keep them out of trouble.”

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A 48-page indictment alleges that Rhodes, Vallejo and nine previously charged defendants plotted “multiple ways to deploy force” to stop the lawful transfer of presidential power by Inauguration Day 2021. The group conspired to organize into teams, undergo paramilitary training, coordinate travel, assemble and stage weapons and don combat and tactical gear before most joined the Capitol breach, prosecutors alleged.

All “were prepared to answer Rhodes’ call to take up arms at Rhodes’ direction,” the 17-count indictment states. They were evidently drawn to Washington partly in the hope that Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act, transforming the Oath Keepers into a kind of shock-troop militia to keep Trump in power in the White House despite the 2020 election result, according to court filings.

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta of D.C. set a July 11 trial date for the group, with a backup date of Sept. 26.

  WaPo