Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, has been charged with seditious conspiracy as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s probe of the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Washington Post reporters Spencer S. Hsu and Devlin Barrett have described the 56-year-old Rhodes as “the most high-profile person charged in the investigation so far.” And according to Never Trump conservative Amanda Carpenter, Rhodes’ arrest explodes a MAGA talking about the violence that occurred during the Capitol riot.
Ten others were charged along with Rhodes.
Carpenter, who is known for her commentary on CNN and her articles for The Bulwark, notes that “Trump defenders” have been claiming that the January 6, 2021 violence wasn’t an insurrection “because people like Rhodes had not been charged yet.”
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“That talking point is out the window now,” Carpenter emphasized in a Twitter thread. “Sedition is being charged.”
Carpenter, who once served as communications director for Sen. Ted Cruz but now criticizes him for being a Trump apologist, observed:
The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel also believes that Rhodes’ arrest totally discredits a flawed MAGA talking point. Weigel tweeted:
Time to pivot to something about how Garland and the deep state are trumping up their charges to take the heat off Biden.
— David Weigel (@daveweigel) January 13, 2022
Fox News’ Brit Hume has argued, “Let’s base our view on whether 1/6 was an ‘insurrection” on whether those arrested are charged with insurrection. So far, none has been.” And blogger Marcy Wheeler explained why Hume’s reasoning doesn’t hold up:
Christian Vanderbrouk likewise noted that the lack of sedition charges had been a popular right-wing, Jan. 6 apologist talking point:
Here are some more reactions to Rhodes’ arrest for seditious conspiracy:
The Stewart Rhodes indictment alleges that he "conspired with his co-defendants…and other co-conspirators, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power." https://t.co/5GzHSsMWkq pic.twitter.com/OyjM6bUBQf
— Matt Ford (@fordm) January 13, 2022
Ben Shapiro’s main talking point in downplaying Jan 6 is that no one has been charged with sedition. So yes – now he has to come up with different BS to keep grifting off the rubes.
— NinersGiants (@KevinR1916) January 13, 2022
Seditious Conspiracy is a more serious charge than Insurrection. pic.twitter.com/X4MDXlmlMe
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 13, 2022
"seditious conspiracy" — now we're getting somewhere, maybe
— Jim Sylvester 🇺🇦 (@JVSylvester) January 13, 2022
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