Jan. 6 Committee discussed oath keepers leader Stewart Rhodes in primetime hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSDFW.COM) - During the prime-time hearing Thursday evening, the House Committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 showed a video of the head of Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes meeting with the head of the Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio in a Washington, D.C. garage.
Both Rhodes and Tarrio are charged with seditious conspiracy in separate cases filed by federal prosecutors.
But Rhodes' attorney, Phillip Linder called the encounter a chance meeting and referred to another video of the meeting that had been previously released. "You'll notice when Stewart walks up, they shake hands and says nice to meet you which indicates they never met before. They knew of each other but never met each other."
The committee also played a portion of an interview Rhodes did with Info Wars before Jan. 6, encouraging people to go to Washington.
In the video, Rhodes said, "Either President Trump is encouraged and bolstered and strengthened to do what he must do or we wind up in a bloody fight. We all that the fight's coming."
Rhodes and Tarrio have pleaded not guilty to seditious conspiracy and other charges and have denied any wrongdoing.
Rhodes' attorneys said the Oath Keepers were planning to provide security for the group Latinos for Trump who were holding an event that day.
The committee told a different story.
Marcus Childress, the Investigative Counsel for the committee said during the video presentation, "The committee learned the Oath Keepers set up quick reaction forces outside of the city in Virginia where they stored arms. The goal of the quick reaction forces was to be on standby just in case President Trump invoked the insurrection act."
Another member of the Oath Keepers, William Wilson, pleaded guilty for his role Jan. 6.
In court documents in the Wilson case, prosecutors said in the late afternoon on Jan. 6, Rhodes called an individual over speaker phone. "Wilson heard Rhodes repeatedly implore the individual to tell President Trump to call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to forcibly oppose the transfer of power. This individual denied Rhodes' request to speak directly with President Trump."
James Lee Bright, another attorney for Rhodes said Friday, "Mr. Rhodes is absolutely adamant that phone call was never made at all. To date, we have not been given any evidence that phone call was made."
The Jan. 6 committee has not publicly connected the dots between Rhodes, Tarrio of the Proud Boys and President Trump.
Bright said he's not concerned. "There's going to be a massive difference in terms of the allegations of seditious conspiracy between the two groups. And to date, we haven't been shown any evidence at all."
Rhodes' attorneys have previously requested to move their case out of Washington because they worry, they won't be able to get fair trial.
The judge hasn't made a decision on this yet.
Linder said the prime-time hearing will make it harder for them to do their jobs.
The Jan. 6 Committee will meet again Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week during the day, not primetime.
