U.S. files conspiracy charge against Oath Keeper leader in alleged plot against the Capitol

[Wicked Blue]

Source: Washington Post

By Spencer S. Hsu and Devlin Barrett
Jan. 19, 2021 at 8:52 a.m. EST

U.S. authorities have leveled the first conspiracy charge against an apparent leader of an extremist group in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, arresting an alleged Oath Keeper who is accused of plotting to disrupt the electoral vote confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory and proposing further assaults on state capitols.

Thomas Edward Caldwell, 65, of Clarke County, Va., was taken into custody before 7 a.m. on four federal counts, including conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States in the attack on the Capitol. The conspiracy charge is reserved for offenses interfering with or obstructing the lawful operation of government.

A charging affidavit says he helped organize a group of eight to 10 individuals, including self-styled Ohio militia members apprehended Sunday, who wore helmets and military-style gear and were seen moving purposefully toward the top of the Capitol steps and leading the move against police lines.

The affidavit cited a Jan. 1 Facebook message in which Caldwell said he had scouted lodging for several others at a Comfort Inn in Ballston, Va., about eight miles from the Capitol that “would allow us to go hunting at night if we wanted to.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/conspiracy-oath-keeper-arrest-capitol-riot/2021/01/19/fb84877a-5a4f-11eb-8bcf-3877871c819d_story.html

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Ballston, Virginia

Ballston is not actually a city. It's a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It and Virginia Square used to be my Metrorail stops. It's heavily urbanized, so I'm wondering just what it was he was going to be hunting at night.

[Wicked Blue]

3. Elected Democrats, no doubt

But he didn't have a hunting permit

[lagomorph777]

5. Yeesh - I used to live there. Very urban.

What - or who - was he planning to hunt?

I'm glad the Feds are working their way up the hierarchy toward the conspiracy's ultimate leader (Trump, duh).

[okaawhatever]

7. P.O.C.? nt

[okaawhatever]

8. P.O.C.? nt

[Harker]

2. Conspiracy charges broaden the investigation.

That's good.

[Jirel]

4. So much for "oath keeping."

These scum wouldn’t know an oath from their elbow, despite having taken one. It’s all just an excuse to be shitty to people they don’t like, just like their bye-bull.

[yaesu]

6. at the very least he should lose his citizenship and be deported to russia where he belongs. nt

[csziggy]

9. WP video at that link details timeline of the seige

And shows how close the insurrectionists got to our lawmakers. Posted in this thread:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017634119

[BlueWavePsych]

10. Gitmo!