Oath Keeper Swaggers Around Capitol Hill to Celebrate Being Freed by Trump

Stewart Rhodes strolls Capital Hill after his release from prison.
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes went straight back to the scene of his crimes on Wednesday to crow about being freed by Donald Trump.

The extremist had his 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy commuted by President Donald Trump hours after he took office—then headed for the scene of the January 6 insurrection which he led.

He said he was there to advocate for the release of Jeremy Brown, a special forces veteran who still faces charges related to the riot, he told reporters in the Longworth House Office Building.

Rhodes strutted through the Capitol and was interviewed by CNN's Manu Raju. He lost his eye not in pursuit of his anti-government ideals but when he shot himself in the eye with a .22. / Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images
Rhodes strutted through the Capitol and was interviewed by CNN's Manu Raju. He lost his eye not in pursuit of his anti-government ideals but when he shot himself in the eye with a .22. / Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images

Rhodes—who was freed from prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy—said he wasn’t invited by members of Congress, but did speak to them in the hopes they might push for a pardon for Brown, who was found guilty on six of 10 counts including possessing classified Defense Department documents, illegally registered guns and explosives.

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He did not name which Republicans he had met.

In the days before Jan. 6, 2021, the Oath Keepers mounted efforts to stockpile weapons and plan the assault on the Capitol building, according to prosecutors.

On Wednesday, however, Rhodes floated a conspiracy theory that the weapons were planted by the FBI while making the case that Brown should be freed.

“Well, number one, there’s a special forces veteran, Jeremy Brown, who is still in prison, he’s in D.C. jail,” Rhodes said. “He’s also facing federal charges in Florida, weapons charges that were basically planted evidence by the FBI. So we’re advocating, we met members of Congress advocating that he’s given the pardon also.”

Ivan Raiklin, a political operative who accompanied Rhodes on Wednesday, said they met with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who represents the district Brown lived in, to discuss the matter. He added that they have talked with a number of other conservatives.

Oath Keepers Founder Stewart Rhodes speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill just hours after being released from prison. / Juliegrace Brufke/The Daily Beast
Oath Keepers Founder Stewart Rhodes speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill just hours after being released from prison. / Juliegrace Brufke/The Daily Beast

Rhodes maintained that both he and the members of his far-right organization were innocent of the violence that took place during the Capitol insurrection. The Yale Law-educated militia leader also said that he does not regret his actions, asserting that he did not go into the Capitol or tell anyone else to enter the premises.

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“I regret that my guys went in. They blundered in along with everybody else — it doesn’t make them criminals, it just makes them kind of stupid. I told them that day that was stupid,” he added.

In one of his first orders of business, Trump issued around 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 individuals convicted of crimes related to the breach on the Capitol, when Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election results.

The move has sparked mixed reactions within the GOP, with some senators rebuking the decision and voicing concerns about freeing those charged with violence against law enforcement.

Speaker Mike Johnson said it showed belief in “redemption.”