Trio of far-right ‘Oath Keepers’ militia members arrested for leading group that stormed US Capitol
Three members of a right-wing group, including an ex-Marine, were arrested Tuesday for storming the U.S. Capitol in full paramilitary gear as part of an organized insurrection following a Jan. 6 pro-Trump rally.
Authorities identified Oath Keepers members Thomas Caldwell, a 65-year-old Virginia man, along with bartender Jessica Watkins, 38, of Ohio, and former serviceman Donovan Crowl as part of crew involved in the breach as Vice President Pence held a Congressional hearing where Republicans challenged President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over President Trump.
“Us storming the castle,” read a Facebook post by Caldwell cited in court documents. “Please share ... I am such an instigator! Didn’t even mind the tear gas.”
He later described the rioting as “a good time,” suggesting a similar attack on the Ohio statehouse.
The Oath Keepers were described in federal court documents as a “large but loosely organized” militia convinced an unfounded conspiracy was trying to “strip American citizens of their rights.” The group’s name comes from an oath sworn by members to defend the Constitution.
Federal court papers from the District of Columbia included photos of Watkins and former Marine Crowl at the Capitol.
Watson posted a photo of herself outside, accompanied by a comment that the picture was “me before forcing entrance into the Capitol building #stopthesteal.”
Crowl, in a New Yorker magazine piece published last week, boasted of “patriots (who) dragged this f---ing maggot off the wall and started beating his ass.” Photos of the defendant inside the building were matched with his Ohio driver’s licenses, court papers indicated.
Prior arrests involving members of the Oath Keepers covered a wide range of criminal activities, including firearms violations, conspiracy to impede federal workers, possession of explosives and threatening public officials.
