Oath Keepers leader testifies 2020 election was 'unconstitutional,' paints himself as anti-violence - CNN

CNN  — 

Stewart Rhodes, the person of the right-wing Oath Keepers who prosecutors accidental called for a “bloody revolution” to support then-President Donald Trump successful power, painted himself arsenic an anti-racist Libertarian who believed the 2020 predetermination was unconstitutional arsenic helium testified successful his ain defence connected Friday.

Rhodes is the archetypal of the 5 defendants charged with seditious conspiracy successful national tribunal successful Washington, DC, to testify.

The courtroom was packed during his testimony, and Rhodes choked up respective times discussing his family, termination rates among veterans and different subjects highlighted by his lawyer, Phillip Linder. He spoke straight to the assemblage and appeared precise comfy connected the stand.

Rhodes explained to the assemblage that helium didn’t judge either Trump oregon Joe Biden won successful 2020 due to the fact that the predetermination itself was “unconstitutional.”

“I judge the predetermination was unconstitutional, and that made it invalid,” Rhodes testified. “You truly can’t person a victor of an unconstitutional election.”

Rhodes told the assemblage that, arsenic helium saw it, predetermination laws successful respective states were changed by “executive fiat” and not done the authorities legislature.

“In aggregate states particularly successful the plaything states … you had them putting successful caller rules successful nonstop violation” of authorities laws, Rhodes said.

“Everyone kept focusing connected the computers” and different theories of elector fraud, Rhodes said, alternatively of the law issues, which they needed to sermon earlier figuring retired “whether there’s fraud connected the ground.”

Rhodes did not item immoderate circumstantial laws that were changed. CNN has recovered nary grounds of wide fraud successful the 2020 election.

Prosecutors person alleged that Rhodes wanted Trump to stay successful powerfulness and that the militia person supported a “bloody revolution” to unafraid the presidency.

Rhodes told the assemblage Friday however helium was honorably discharged from the subject and went connected to survey instrumentality astatine Yale, focusing his attraction connected the Bill of Rights – which Rhodes called “the crown jewel of our Constitution” – and protecting civilian rights successful the aftermath of the 9/11 panic attacks.

Rhodes, a self-described Libertarian, testified that helium founded the Oath Keepers successful 2009 to “reach, alteration and inspire” radical astir what rights the Constitution afforded them.

Pushing backmost connected what helium saw arsenic narratives that the Oath Keepers were racist oregon achromatic nationalists, Rhodes said the enactment traveled to assorted cities for radical justness protests, claiming the radical protected “minority concern owners” successful Ferguson, Missouri.

“Frankly we benignant of embarrassed the police, Rhodes testified, “because we showed them however to bash it right, protecting the concern owners portion inactive respecting the rights of the protesters.”

Oath Keepers rules, Rhodes claimed, specifically barroom immoderate subordinate who “advocates for the overthrow of the United States.”

During the archetypal respective weeks of the seditious conspiracy proceedings against the far-right organization, prosecutors presented grounds that the Oath Keepers stockpiled weapons astatine a edifice successful Virginia connected January 6 arsenic portion of a alleged speedy absorption force. Prosecutors alleged that the 5 defendants intended to usage those weapons successful lawsuit called upon by Trump to halt the transportation of powerfulness to Biden.

Rhodes told the assemblage that wasn’t the lawsuit and claimed that the QRF’s were acceptable up astatine an lawsuit the Oath Keepers attended to “respond successful lawsuit determination is an emergency,” including if his men were ever injured.

The Oath Keepers besides utilized QRFs each clip they provided security, Rhodes said, including respective events successful Washington, DC. After the election, Rhodes testified helium was acrophobic Antifa would “attack the White House,” and claimed the leftist enactment was threatening to “drag Trump out” if the president refused to concede.

In November, “I was acrophobic that this mightiness really happen,” Rhodes told the jury, citing his rhetoric connected a recorded gathering prosecutors showed the assemblage successful which Rhodes allegedly said that “there’s going to beryllium a fight.”

If Antifa did effort to onslaught the White House, Rhodes said that “President Trump could usage the Insurrection Act, state this an insurrection, and usage myself and different veterans to support the White House.”

No specified onslaught astatine the White House occurred.

Rhodes is expected to proceed his grounds connected Monday.