Stewart Rhodes, one of the figures of the American far right, was sentenced Thursday to eighteen years in prison for “sedition”, the highest sentence to date linked to the assault on the Capitol. The founder of the militia “Oathkeepers” adopted a defiant stance until the end: “I am a political prisoner”, “my only crime is to oppose those who destroy our country”he launched, just before becoming aware of his sentence.
Federal Judge Amit Mehta curtly put him in his place: “You are NOT a political prisoner, Mr. Rhodes”he said. “You are here because twelve jurors (…) found you guilty of sedition”, “one of the most serious crimes an American can commit”.
The charge, which involves planning the use of force against the government, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. But the prosecutors had requested twenty-five years against Stewart Rhodes, relying on a device which makes it possible to increase the sentences for acts of nature “terrorist”. Without completely following them, Judge Mehta endorsed their analysis on this point. “Acts of intimidation or coercion that are intended to weigh on the government” fall into this category, he said.
He also justified the severity of the sentence by the leadership role of Stewart Rhodes, a 58-year-old ex-serviceman, and his lack of remorse. “You represent a persistent threat and danger to the country”asserted the magistrate.
On January 6, 2021, thousands of supporters of Donald Trump had sown chaos and violence in the seat of Congress, when elected officials certified the victory of his rival Joe Biden in the presidential election. The sprawling investigation that ensued led to the arrest of more than a thousand people. Nearly three hundred people were given prison sentences, the heaviest of which so far was fourteen years.
“A general on a battlefield”
But only ten activists from far-right groups – six members of the “Oathkeepers” and four “Proud Boys” – were found guilty of “sedition” after three separate trials in Washington. After weeks of hearings, jurors felt they had prepared, amassing weapons and entering military training in the Capitol to prevent Donald Trump’s defeat from being made official.
On D-Day, Stewart Rhodes, known for his black eyepatch and fiery rants, remained outside the Capitol but, according to the prosecution, he led his troops by radio “like a general on the battlefield”. During his trial, the tribune had denied “to have planned” the attack and argued that the ” assignment “ of the Oath Keepers was to provide security for the demonstration called by Donald Trump to denounce alleged “election fraud”.
Maintaining to have been presented with a fait accompli, he had estimated ” stupid “ that Kelly Meggs, who leads the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, entered the Capitol. “It opened the door to our political persecution”, he said. Kelly Meggs, also convicted of sedition, will receive his sentence at the end of the day Thursday.