Lawfare
March 2 marked the start of the first trial of a defendant charged with federal crimes associated with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capital. Guy Reffitt is standing trial for various offenses, including bringing a firearm into the assault. Also present during the Jan. 6 attack were a number of people dressed in paramilitary gear who appeared more organized than the rest of the mob. As has been alleged in subsequent Jan. 6 federal prosecution court pleadings, they were members of a self-proclaimed militia-type group called the Oath Keepers who physically breached the security of the Capitol and assaulted the building in a “stack” formation. Based on this apparent attempt to “take over” the Capitol by means of force to prevent the lawful transfer of power, just over one year later, on Jan. 12, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 11 Oath Keepers members, including founder and leader Stewart Rhodes, with seditious conspiracy and other related offenses.
Was an Attempt to Take Over a Tennessee Courthouse in 2010 a Preview of Jan. 6?