There have been some 300+ people arrested in connection with the January 6 riot at the US
Capitol, a few of the arrestees were caught on video or still cameras breaching police lines, breaking into to the Capitol or fighting with police, but many, including such notable pro-Trump activists as Brandon Straka and Dr. Simone Gold, did not commit any violent acts and were arrested for simply entering the Capitol without authorization.
And then there is another class of arrestees that federal authorities have pursued with particular vengeance; the Oath Keepers.
The Oath Keepers are described in FBI documents and establishment media coverage as a “rightwing militia,” but an unbiased look at who and what they are reveals something far different and a lot less threatening – they are people of modest means who love their country and want to continue to use their training in service to it.
What binds them together, and also apparently makes them so threatening to the illegitimate regime currently occupying Washington DC, is their former or present service in the US military, police, fire and other first responder-type services.
This combination of tactical training and allegiance to the Constitution as written checks all the boxes of Leftwing Democrat paranoia about the terrorist potential of returning veterans that goes back at least to the days when Janet Reno was Attorney General under Bill Clinton.
And it has made the Oath Keepers who were in Washington DC on January 6, 2021 a hunted community within their own country.
The fate of two Oath Keepers, retired Army Sgt. Kenneth Harrelson of Florida and wounded Iraq War veteran Joshua James of Alabama, are illustrative of the what’s being done to these patriots.
Joshua James was arrested after the FBI lured him out of his home in Alabama by pretending to be a customer needing a pressure washing.
Then an armored vehicle with a turret on top, 2 FBI vans, 6 FBI vehicles, 3 local police and sheriff’s vehicles pulled up and ransacked his family’s home.
According to an interview Audrey James, Joshua's wife, gave to Jim Hoft of the Gateway Pundit, Mr. James “was in D.C. that day providing security detail for speakers of the rally that morning. FBI said under oath they do not believe my husband was part of any violence and they have NO proof that he was involved in violence.”
When Mr. James’ public defender asked, “Was Mr. James seen with these people exhibiting aggressive behavior?” The FBI Response was, “No he was not.”
Mr. James’ crime that day was, according to the FBI, was having an Oath Keepers logo on his hat and having his cellphone ping off a tower near the Capitol.
Joshua James, recipient of the Purple Heart, sole bread winner for his wife and three young children remains in custody in Alabama pending being transferred to Washington DC for trial.
Audrey James told the Gateway Pundit she has little income from her part-time job and has no idea how she will make ends meet without the income from Joshua’s pressure cleaning business and his military disability pay.
The fate of retired Army Sgt. Kenneth Harrelson is similar.
Mr. Harrelson, who was retired out of the Army on 100% disability, was arrested last week and is currently being held in jail for attending the January 6th protests in Washington DC. The Gateway Pundit reports the feds may move him to Washington DC this coming week for trial.
Angel Harrelson told the Gateway Pundit, “The FBI, city police and sheriff’s office came to our home and executed a search warrant. My husband was on a ladder cleaning the gutters at the time and I was inside working virtually at my job. The agents and officers approached with their guns pointed at my husband. He was unarmed and was in fear for his life. They arrested him without incident and then came to the door with my husband in handcuffs.”
Mrs. Harrelson stated further, “After they completed their search, they gathered their ‘evidence,’ which included absurd things like our son’s Air-soft flash-bangs and Air-soft “grenades” that he uses to play Air-soft with his JROTC school friends. They also took a tourniquet that we keep on hand, along with other first aid supplies. I was formally trained as an EMT and as a Certified Nursing Assistant, therefore, I keep this kind of supplies on hand at all times. They also took my personal iPad. All of these things were here at home while Kenneth was in Washington, D.C. and have nothing to do with his trip there.”
The probable cause affidavit for charging Harrelson says he is a co-conspirator along with Jessica Watkins, Donovan Crowl, Thomas Caldwell [mentioned in the accompanying article], Sandra Parker, Bennie Parker, Graydon Young, Laura Steele, Kelly Meggs and Connie Meggs. They were charged separately by a federal grand jury on Feb. 19. Mr. Harrelson’s apparent crime was talking and interacting with other Oath Keepers who were part of the now famous “stack” that forced its way through the crowd and into the Capitol as photographs introduced by the FBI prove he was not part of the “stack.”
Mrs. Harrelson concluded by saying, “I immediately began searching for a lawyer. The fee just to retain a local lawyer is $2,500 and it will cost $100,000 if Kenneth is indicted on felony charges. My family does not have this kind of money. I was not able to access Kenneth’s VA disability funds because my name was not listed on his account, and it has now been locked down. I scraped up just enough money to pay the initial attorney retainer fee, this month’s bills and enough groceries to get us through the next couple of weeks. I was let go from my job because of this. I am at a total loss about what to do to get next month’s bills paid and to put food on the table for our kids and me.”
As Mrs. Harrelson explained, in the FBI’s affidavit justifying Mr. Harrelson’s arrest there was “mention of Go To Meetings that Kenneth participated in. The discussions that took place on those calls were about things the members could do to protect people from harm, specifically from violent ANTIFA. There was no conspiracy to harm anyone, only to protect people. The Oath Keepers have spent the past few months discussing ways to keep their communities informed about the violent activities of the BLM and ANTIFA groups, and also prepared to defend their neighborhoods and homes from invasion by those often violent, extremists.
The Oath Keepers are made up of a diverse group of people; a variety of skin colors and races. They all have a common goal of defending the United States Constitution. Included in their mission is protecting and serving the community. They have spent countless volunteer hours helping with natural disasters cleanup and getting food and supplies to people in need. They also protect people at rallies, and that is why my husband traveled to Washington D.C.”
Oath Keepers
2020 Election
January 6 riot
FBI arrests
Brandon Straka
Dr. Simone Gold
U.S. Military Veterans
Janet Reno
Sgt. Kenneth Harrelson
Joshua James
Antifa
Black Lives Matter
Comments