(PatrioticPost.com)- On October 6, former Oath Keepers members gave testimony in federal court regarding their choice to leave the group, which they claimed was motivated by a change in the group’s views.
Abdullah Rasheed, a veteran of the Marine Corps, claimed to have led the West Virginia Oath Keepers in the past. Using his backup phone, he recorded a post-election meeting with Stewart Rhodes and other Oath Keepers in November 2020. Rasheed reported that Rhodes and other participants in the conference call discussed their strategy for contesting the election results.
Rasheed remarked that it seemed like they were waging war against the US administration. He sent the footage to the FBI a few days later.
Defense lawyers questioned whether he belonged to the Oath Keepers since he only participated in calls and meetings online and never showed up in person.
Jonathan Crisp, a defense attorney, speculated that the government might have instructed him to videotape the discussion. Rasheed rejected that notion.
Counsel David Fischer asked, “Did you just happen to have an additional phone to film the meeting that day?” Rasheed said yes.
Phillip Linder, a defense lawyer, noted that Rasheed was the West Virginia leader in the Signal group conversation and was, therefore, not a legitimate leader.
Rasheed requested that the FBI change his identity in exchange for the video he had captured. The former Marine claimed he was terrified by the Oath Keepers’ abrasive tone and worried for his family’s safety.
Rasheed acknowledged in court that he had previously undergone multiple name changes. According to defense attorney James Bright, he had previously been accused of abusing a minor salaciously, which is against the criteria established by the Oath Keepers to become a member of the group. Rasheed claims that the offense has been cleared from his record.
Rasheed testified that although his ideals and the organization’s objective were compatible when he first joined, “it got worse with time.” Additionally, he claimed Kelly Meggs was insane in an email to the Capitol Police.
Michael Adams, a former military serviceman and Oath Keeper, gave testimony on Thursday afternoon. He was Florida’s Oath Keepers commander.
Adams joined the group around July 2020 because he was worried about his community and the rise of Antifa and Black Lives Matter protests.
He claimed he did not attend either the January 6 event or the Million Make America Great Again March in November 2020.
The trial is anticipated to end sometime in late November.
