FBI agent testifies about secret recording of Oath Keepers planning Jan. 6 riot
Federal prosecutors shared in court on Tuesday audio of an alleged Oath Keepers planning meeting, in which the right-wing militia discussed plans to "fight" at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, CNN reports.
Five alleged group members, including leader Stewart Rhodes, are standing trial in a Washington, D.C. federal court after pleading not guilty to Jan. 6-related charges, including seditious conspiracy.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler had told jurors that an "increasingly alarmed follower" secretly recorded the two-hour meeting, which occured in November 2020, before sharing the recording with authorities. Palian stated that the informant initially sent the tip in November but had to resubmit the tip to the FBI again in March 2021, per CNN. On day two of the trial, Palian told jurors he was unaware if anyone had reached out to the tipster between the two submissions, The Washington Post reports.
The recording reveals how group members discussed bringing weapons to Washington, D.C. in their efforts to storm the Capitol on behalf of former President Donald Trump. On the recorded call, Rhodes can be heard telling the group of over a hundred people, "We've got to be in D.C. … You've got to make sure that [Trump] knows that you are willing to die, to fight for this country." He also encouraged listeners to them to arm themselves, per the Post.
