Oath Keepers Trial: Prosecutors Say Right-Wing Militia Refused to Accept Biden Victory

The closing arguments for the second Oath Keepers trial on the seditious conspiracy chargers against several members of the radical far-right group have been made.

Federal prosecutor Louis Manzo told the jury that the group tried to stop democracy from happening on January 6, 2021.

"The defendants could not let the election stand. They could not let Biden come to power," the prosecutor said, adding that while democracy was under attack during that day, the defendants trained for it and even used it as a celebration, according to the Associated Press.

The trial was for four Oath Keepers members, Roberto Minuta, Joseph Hackett, David Moerschel, and Edward Vallejo. It came after the historic conviction of the group's founder, Stewart Rhodes, as well as another of the group's leaders, for seditious conspiracy, a serious crime that people are rarely convicted of.

Oath Keepers Members Stand Trial

Much like the first trial, this second trial involving other members of the notorious radical right-wing group involved a similar story, just with different defendants.

Prosecutors presented Stewart Rhodes' fiery rhetoric and inflammatory statements about "civil war" and "bloody war" as a rallying cry to members of his group. According to prosecutors, his leadership even led to members breaching the capitol in tactical gear, while others stood back in a hotel in Virginia, stockpiling weapons and ready to distribute them.

Three of the members who stood trial, Hackett, Minuta, and Moerschel, were just some of the people who invaded the Capitol. Meanwhile, the fourth defendant, Vallejo, stayed in Virginia and helped organize the weapons stockpile.

The four on trial are not considered leaders of the far-right group, according to Reuters. However, one of those who attacked the Capitol, Minuta, served as a bodyguard for notable Trump crony, Roger Stone.

His attorney, William Shipley, acknowledged that his client was acting "crazy" in the videos presented as evidence, but argued that these had nothing to do with Rhodes before accusing prosecutors of taking the evidence out of context.

Oath Keepers Leader Stewart Rhodes Wrote a Message for Donald Trump After January 6

During the trial, it was revealed that Stewart Rhodes tried to reach then-President Donald Trump just four days after the events of the January 6 Capitol Insurrection.

According to The Daily Beast, Jason Alpers, a former special ops operative for the U.S. Army that could "indirectly" reach Trump testified during the second trial. He admitted to meeting up with the Oath Keepers founder at a Fry's carpark so he could relay a message to the then-president.

Alpers testified that Rhodes implored Trump to use the Insurrection Act or else he and his family be killed. Rhodes also said in the message that only Trump can save the Republican Party by doing his duty as Commander in Chief and using the Insurrection Act.

His message also suggested to Trump that like Lincoln during the Civil War, he must also arrest congressmen and state legislators, as well as saying that he and his men are there for him. Rhodes promised the then-president, We will come help you if you need us."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Stewart Rhodes' son: 'How I escaped my father's militia' - BBC News