Seditious conspiracy: 11 Oath Keepers charged in Jan. 6 riot

By MICHAEL BALSAMO, COLLEEN LONG and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group, has been arrested and charged with seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Justice Department announced the charges against Rhodes. of Granbury, Texas, on Thursday. He is the highest-ranking member of an extremist group to be arrested in the deadly siege. It is the first time the Justice Department has brought a seditious conspiracy charge in connection with the attack on the Capitol. Ten other people also were charged with seditious conspiracy in connection with the attack on Jan. 6, 2021, when authorities said members of the extremist group came to Washington intent on stopping the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.