Oath Keepers Tell Jan 6th Committee About Communicating With Trump Allies to Overturn 2020 Election

Top leaders in the Oath Keepers have been turning over phones and digital files and sitting for interviews with the FBI and detailing how they worked to benefit Donald Trump’s campaign. Members of the far-right extremist citizens’ militia group communicated with others in the former President’s orbit, according to court records and multiple sources familiar with the federal investigation.

Investigators also have learned about encrypted messages shared via Signal leading up to January 6th in which the Oath Keepers were messaging high-profile, right-wing political organizers, according to four people familiar with its existence who spoke to CNN under the condition of anonymity. The Justice Department recently provided records of the chat to defense attorneys in the sedition case, they told CNN.

In court last week, prosecutors also disclosed how the Oath Keepers’ leader Stewart Rhodes called an unnamed person on speakerphone from a hotel suite on the evening of January 6th, asking to speak to Trump directly. When his request was denied, Rhodes urged the still-unknown person (who many suspect was Roger Stone) to tell Trump to call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to “forcefully oppose the transfer of power.”

ALERT: Seditious conspiracy case grows in US Capitol attack. Justice Dept charges William Wilson, accusing him of conspiring with OathKeepers founder Stewart Rhodes. To block lawful transfer of power pic.twitter.com/tSYD5fRLd5

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) May 4, 2022

Rhodes himself met with the FBI multiple times before his arrest in January and handed over his electronics, his lawyers say. Rhodes has pleaded not guilty and is set to go to trial in July.

#BREAKING

Defense Lawyer for OKP Stewart Rhodes:

"I think it's self-evident that they are continuing to work their way up the food chain to get to who their grand prize is," referring to speculation that the Justice Department will eventually target #Trump.#MerrickGarland pic.twitter.com/H2n8EzcWqf

— 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 Persuasion 🆒💙⚠️🗽🇺🇸⚠️ (@SonOfAlgos) May 9, 2022

Prosecutors have said they expect to bring more charges against people affiliated with extremist groups. Grand jury investigators are talking to a wide range of people, including organizers of pro-Trump rallies that preceded the Capitol attack, while seeking information about attempts to block the certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral win.

1) IMPORTANT: this was 8:03 PM 1/5 I never posted it because it was so dark. But I just discovered a button in Premiere!!! This is Roger Stone escorted by Oath Keepers going back to the Willard it was so odd because the Enrique and the Proud Boys were always his security. pic.twitter.com/EDeAL2JL34

— Sandi Bachom (@sandibachom) May 5, 2022

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