Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the January 6, 2021 riot, entered the Capitol on Wednesday to meet with Republican lawmakers. , shortly after President Trump left prison for work. his sentence.
Rose was seen with a group of people at the Dunkin Donuts in the Longworth House office building, which is open to the public. He said he did not enter the actual Capitol building.
rose said he did claim liberation The story of Jeremy Brown, another Oath Keeper who is incarcerated on federal weapons charges stemming from an investigation into his alleged involvement in the riot.
Rose said Brown was not included in President Trump's sweeping pardon of about 1,600 people arrested in connection with the assault, and that he went to the Capitol with Brown's family. He said no members of Congress specifically invited him to the Capitol.
“We stand with our members and advocate for him to be pardoned as well,” Rose told reporters.
Ivan Reiklin, a retired Green Beret, also accompanied him to Rhodes and wrote the following memo: outlined the theory President Trump reposted on social media about the possibility that then-Vice President Mike Pence would strip former President Biden's electoral votes.
Rose and Reichlin said they met with Brown's representative, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), about advocating for his release.
A spokesperson for Mr Bilirakis confirmed the meeting, saying: “Senator Bilirakis met with Jeremy Brown's mother and girlfriend. Mr Rose joined them.”
Reichlin also said he spoke briefly with Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) on Tuesday, but that the interaction amounted to a brief hallway argument.
“It was a very short conversation, believe me. It wasn't a meeting,” Self told The Hill. As for the Brown case, Self said he doesn't know enough about the case to decide whether to advocate for Brown's release.
Rose, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison, said he does not regret the actions that led to his conviction.
“I did not go to the Capitol. I did not tell anyone to come inside. We were here to provide security for two events that are allowed on Capitol grounds. “Rose said. “I'm sorry that my guys went in. They screwed up along with everyone else. That doesn't make them criminals. It just kind of makes me feel bad. It just makes you stupid.”
“My only regret is they should have brought a rifle,” Rose said days after the Capitol attack. “They would have been hanged.” [f—ing] Pelosi from a lamppost. ”
When asked about it Wednesday, Rose said he regretted the comment.
“That's unfortunate. I was drunk and I was angry,” Rose said. But he said that was “after the fact” and “I'm not proposing anything. I'm just angry.”
He still wants a full pardon from President Trump for himself and the 13 others whose sentences were commuted on January 6, but said he has not spoken to anyone in the Trump administration. He also said that no one gave him a tour of the Capitol and that he has not been inside the Capitol since 1999.
Mr. Rose's presence at the Capitol shocked officials inside the Capitol.
At one point, a woman who said she was a staff member but declined to identify herself approached Mr. Rose, who was talking to reporters, and said she shouldn't be here.
“You shouldn’t be here,” the woman said. “you're welcome [to] The First Amendment provides freedom of speech, but that's disrespectful…tell your story elsewhere. ”
Rose told reporters that the woman believes “in her heart of hearts, certain people don't deserve free speech and should be wiped off the face of the earth when it comes to free speech.”
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), who was a member of the Jan. 6 special committee investigating the riot, also quipped about Stewart Rhodes' presence at the Capitol.
“I think it’s new and interesting that they’re using the front door this time,” Aguilar said, according to the article. Associated Press.
