Stewart Rhodes, founder of Oath Keeper, is currently awaiting sentencing on charges of seditious conspiracy. He was a witness in defense Monday at a civil case challenging whether Rep. David Eastman could serve in the Alaska Legislature.
R-Wasilla’s Eastman is a member the Oath Keepers. Experts in domestic terrorism describe it as an anti-government militia which appealed to white supremacists, antisemites, and other antisemites. Rhodes presented them as being dedicated to peacekeeping and the U.S. Constitution.
Rhodes testified that “we had, thankfully,” very few members, but that a few were “racist” and “who, as we later discovered, discriminate based on racial lines. We kicked them out after identifying them.
Rhodes gave his testimony by telephone from a Washington, D.C. jail. He claimed that he did not order Oath Keepers to enter Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021. He claimed that he told Oath Keepers who made it a stupid move for two reasons.
“One, it wasn’t our mission that day. Rhodes stated that two of their actions exposed them to persecution by political opponents, who took advantage of it to prosecute us.” “And this is what has happened to me. That’s exactly where I am. This is why I am here in jail.”
The witness was forced to resign immediately.
“Hold on a second. “Hold on a second. Hold on …. He said, “I gotta go back to my cell.”
Last month, Rhodes was convictedof conspiring to seditiously endanger the Capitol. Because of an disloyalty provision in Alaska Constitution, his actions and the ideology behind the Oath Keepers are relevant to Eastman’s ability to hold office. It prohibits any person from holding office if they belong to a group that calls for the overthrow of government.
The case was brought by Randall Kowalke, a former Eastman constituent, and supporter.
If the lawsuit is unsuccessful, Eastman’s voters would not elect the legislator that a majority of them voted for in the November election.
Eastman admitted that he is a lifetime member of Oath Keepers. Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna must decide whether Oath Keepers argued for forceful action to overthrow government officials.
Joe Miller, Eastman’s lawyer, asked Rhodes about some of his more incendiary remarks.
Miller said that there has been much discussion about the words you used in communications, such as the words “bloody civil war” and the prediction that it could happen. Did that have anything to do the Insurrection Act, or the invocations of the Insurrection Act?
Rhodes replied, “Well, it’s my belief that the left was engaged with open insurrection throughout 2020.”
It was sometimes difficult to hear Rhodes’ testimony from prison. He compared it to a concrete echo chamber. He explained that he was not calling for “bloody Civil War.” He meant that leftists’ actions would require a serious government response.
Rhodes tried to present his group as law-abiding at all costs. He claimed that they provided security for speakers at the rally of then-President Trump on Jan. 6.
He said that if he loses appeal on his criminal conviction, then he will have to resign as a member of the group he started because the bylaws prohibit felons from being members.
His testimony will continue on Tuesday.
