The doc describes a harrowing journey by Minuta, James, and others in a bunch of golf carts they took to get to the Capitol by D.C. visitors. Minuta, wearing “battle attire”—hard-knuckle tactical gloves, ballistic goggles, a radio with an earpiece and bear spray— apparently texted a working commentary because the passenger.
“Patriots are storming the Capitol constructing; there’s violence towards patriots by the D.C. police; so we’re en route in a grand theft auto golf cart to the Capitol constructing proper now . . . it’s taking place, guys; it’s actually taking place proper now Patriots storming the Capitol constructing . . .” Minuta allegedly acknowledged throughout the drive.
The addition brings to 12 the overall variety of Oath Keepers indicted for conspiracy to “cease, delay, or hinder Congress’s certification of the Electoral School vote.” Thus far, Rhodes has not been indicted, although prosecutors have been circling, and in every submitting seem like getting closing to charging him alongside the others.
The indictment says Rhodes and his group—together with an unnamed communications chief designated as “Particular person 10,” and three Oath Keepers who guarded Stone—engaged in “frequent and constant communication main as much as the assault.” Total, they exchanged 19 cellphone calls over three hours that day:
- At about 1 p.m., Minuta and Rhodes exchanged two calls totaling about three minutes at roughly the identical time {that a} mob of Trump supporters first surged by police barricades onto Capitol grounds.
- From 1:59 to 2:15 p.m., over a 17-minute span, “Particular person 10” spoke with Rhodes, after which exchanged 5 calls with James totaling about 6½ minutes, whereas Rhodes referred to as Florida Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs—who led the “stack” formation—for 15 seconds. This was about the identical time the doorways to the Capitol had been first being breached.
- Rhodes then forwarded a message from “Particular person 10” telling the group that the mob had “taken floor on the capital[.] We have to regroup any members who should not on mission.” “Particular person 10” then referred to as Meggs for 42 seconds.
- Between 2:24 and a pair of:33 p.m., Rhodes spoke with “Particular person 10” for almost 5½ minutes, after which “Particular person 10” and Meggs spoke. After James checked again with “Particular person 10,” he and Minuta jumped into the golf cart and headed towards the Capitol, the place they started harassing officers exterior the east doorways of the constructing. At 3:15 p.m., the 2 males entered the constructing, pushing previous police on the Rotunda doorways.
- Between 3:40 and 4:05 p.m., “Particular person 10” related for 3 minutes with James, Minuta, and Rhodes for 3½ minutes. Shortly afterward, greater than a dozen Oath Keepers, together with many who had entered the Capitol, gathered round Rhodes simply exterior the constructing.
The communications throughout the group additionally indicated that the insurrectionists had been following a beforehand mapped technique. Jessica Watkins, one of many leaders of the group that entered the Capitol, texted: “We’ve an excellent group. We’ve about 30-40 of us. We’re sticking collectively and sticking to the plan.”
“You might be executing citizen’s arrest,” one particular person responded. “Arrest this meeting, we now have possible trigger for acts of treason, election fraud.”
Watkins responded: “We’re within the mezzanine. We’re in the principle dome proper now. We’re rocking it. They’re throwing grenades, they’re fticking capturing folks with paint balls. However we’re in right here.”
One other particular person advised Watkins to remain secure, then added: “Get it, Jess. Do your fucking factor. That is what we fucking [unintelligible] up for. Every part we fucking educated for.”
There was no indication within the indictment that the federal government is aware of the contents of the 19 calls, nor did it determine “Particular person 10.” In interviews, Rhodes has stated he had named as his on-the-ground group chief a former Military explosives knowledgeable and Blackwater contractor nicknamed “Whip.”
Justice Division officers have indicated they’re additionally contemplating bringing sedition expenses towards the insurrectionists. “I personally imagine the proof is trending towards that, and doubtless meets these components,” Michael Sherwin, the previous group chief of the investigation, advised 60 Minutes. “I imagine the info do help these expenses. And I feel that, as we go ahead, extra info will help that.”
Rhodes has been portraying himself as a possible martyr. At an anti-immigration occasion in Texas final weekend, he advised the viewers: “I could go to jail quickly. Not for something I really did, however for made-up crimes. There are some Oath Keepers proper now together with Proud Boys and different patriots who’re in D.C. who’re sitting in jail denied bail regardless of the supposed proper to a jury trial earlier than you’re discovered responsible and presumption of innocence, had been denied bail as a result of the powers that be don’t like their political opinions.”
He additionally claimed innocence for his members. “If we really meant to take over the Capitol, we’d have taken it, and we’d have introduced weapons,” Rhodes stated. “That’s not why we had been there that day. We had been there to guard Trump supporters from antifa.”
