A federal judge has barred Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes — who was freed from prison by President Donald Trump earlier this week — and several top allies from entering the Capitol without permission. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta’s order appeared to be a response to Rhodes’ decision to hold court in the Capitol Wednesday, just days after Trump commuted his 18-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy, related to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

“You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square … without first obtaining the permission from the court,” Mehta wrote in his order, which he also said applied to the other Oath Keepers whose sentences were commuted by Trump. For several hours at the Capitol, Rhodes interviewed with numerous reporters, met with allies in a Dunkin’ Donuts and visited Republican lawmakers. A jury in 2022 convicted Rhodes of seditious conspiracy, finding that he orchestrated an attempt to violently prevent the transfer of presidential power from Trump to Joe Biden. Witnesses testified that Rhodes and other Oath Keepers leaders assembled a massive arsenal of firearms at a hotel in Arlington, Virginia, that they were prepared to shuttle into Washington if the fighting at the Capitol escalated further.


During the trial, prosecutors revealed a Jan. 10, 2021, recording of Rhodes in which he said “My only regret is they should have brought rifles” to the Capitol. “We could have fixed it right then and there,” Rhodes said. “I’d hang fucking Pelosi from the lamppost.” Although Trump pardoned most Jan. 6 rioters, he opted to commute the sentences of most of the defendants who faced charges of seditious conspiracy.

featureless wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2025 1:56 pm While I don't doubt the judge's intentions, not convinced they have the authority. Yippee! Another legal battle.