Oath Keepers Leaders Are Reportedly Spilling the Goods to Jan. 6 Investigators
Leaders of the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers have been cooperating with the FBI, CNN reported on Monday. The bureau has conducted interviews and is in the possession of phones and digital files in which members reveal what communications they had with those close to former President Donald Trump.
Kellye SoRelle, a lawyer who works with members of the group yet does not represent any of them in court, told the outlet of several meetings with the FBI in which she has given up phones. “I’ve done interviews. I’ve done everything. I’m helping them,” said SoRelle, who didn’t go into detail about the information she provided to investigators.
The FBI has also learned that Oath Keepers were using the messaging app Signal to communicate with “high-profile, right-wing political organizers” ahead of Jan. 6, according to CNN. These figures included Roger Stone, Alex Jones, and right-wing organizer Ali Alexander. The messages from Oath Keepers founder and leader Stewart Rhodes’ phone, of which there are more than 100,000, are “key” to proving prosecutors’ case against him, according to court documents.
Rhodes is awaiting trial on charges of seditious conspiracy after allegedly plotting to use force to prevent the certification of the 2020 election. Oath Keeper William Todd Wilson last week became the third militia member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy charges. Wilson claimed he was in the room on the night of Jan. 6 when Rhodes placed a call to an individual he believed could connect him with Trump. The individual allegedly declined to do so, after which Rhodes told the group, “I just want to fight.”
Rhodes’ trial is slated to begin in September.