Oath Keeper Leader Gets COVID, Threatening Trial Delay
The far-right group’s founder is now said to be quarantined in jail.
The Washington Post/Getty
The ongoing seditious conspiracy trial of members of the Oath Keepers has been thrown into turmoil on Monday after the group’s founder tested positive for COVID. Stewart Rhodes, 57, is being prosecuted along with four other members of the extreme right-wing group he founded in 2009 over the organization’s involvement with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. According to reports, Rhodes’ lawyers suggested having him attend the trial via Zoom, but they were unable to get hold of him as of Monday morning. They added that Rhodes is currently in “total isolation” at the Alexandria, Virginia, jail where he’s currently being held, with authorities allegedly refusing to let him out of quarantine to take a call Monday. Last week, the trial heard that Rhodes and the Oath Keepers’ lawyer exchanged sexually explicit texts in the lead up to the Capitol riot.
NEW: Stewart Rhodes has COVID and it's threatening to delay the ongoing Oath Keepers trial by a week or more. Lawyers for Rhodes propose having him participate via zoom or having him sit out some "inconsequential" witnesses, but they haven't been able to talk to him this morning
— Daniel Barnes (@dnlbrns) October 24, 2022
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