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Judge releases Oath Keeper 'commander' Thomas Caldwell, 65, and says there is no evidence he entered the Capitol during MAGA riot
UK Daily Mail ^ | March 13 2021 | HARRIET ALEXANDER

Posted on 03/12/2021 11:56:14 PM PST by knighthawk

A Virginia veteran who was accused of being a member of the Oath Keepers and charged over the Capitol riot was released on bail on Friday, as the judge in his case questioned the strength of the charges against him.

Thomas Caldwell, 65, was in poor health, Judge Amit Mehta noted, presiding over a Washington DC court.

Federal prosecutors accused him of plotting for months in advance with fellow associates of the anti-government Oath Keepers militia.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 20210106; capitolriot; oathkeeper; oathkeepers; thomascaldwell
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1 posted on 03/12/2021 11:56:14 PM PST by knighthawk
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To: knighthawk
... accused of being a member of the Oath Keepers

Not a crime.

2 posted on 03/13/2021 12:29:08 AM PST by nonsporting (To relieve sickness, sometimes one must hurl.)
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To: knighthawk

bookmark


3 posted on 03/13/2021 12:32:50 AM PST by Pajamajan ( PRAY FOR OUR NATION. I will never be a peaceful slave in a new Socialist America.)
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To: knighthawk

to add to your article, this from CNN (I don’t think the judge grasps the concept of the aggressiveness of antifa violence that the local police can’t or won’t control annd that he and the feds are, for the most part, focused on the wrong people):

“Even while releasing Caldwell, Mehta criticized the Oath Keepers organization that is allegedly part of, which Caldwell’s lawyer portrayed as a positive force that helps police in troubled cities.

“This is what I don’t get. Who deputized the Oath Keepers to come in and help local police? What are they training for and why are they part of this?” Mehta asked during the hearing.

Caldwell’s lawyer, David Fischer, said his client was afraid of antifa attacking supporters of former President Donald Trump at the rallies that were held on January 6 before the attack. Fischer said this was why Caldwell and other co-conspirators had discussed having an armed “quick reaction force” across the river in Virginia, ready to come into Washington if there were trouble.

But Mehta didn’t buy that argument. He wondered out loud why Oath Keepers hold the “fanciful” belief that they need to act as a “roving band... ready to step in” if antifa comes into town.

“This is right out of a fantastic sense of their own sense of being wronged, and their perceived role in trying to right what has been wronged,” he said. “And that is inescapable. And no amount of rationalization can resolve those facts. It’s unfortunate that they fell victim to those ideas.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/judge-releases-alleged-oath-keeper-and-questions-strength-of-conspiracy-case/ar-BB1ewRZY?ocid=msedgntp


4 posted on 03/13/2021 12:47:15 AM PST by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017) )
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To: All

Ya know what would be nice???

If the FIB would look for evidence BEFORE they arrest someone.


5 posted on 03/13/2021 1:24:48 AM PST by LegendHasIt
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To: knighthawk

Ex military patriots are their target and a threat to their coup


6 posted on 03/13/2021 3:32:21 AM PST by ronnie raygun
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To: knighthawk
,,,accused of being a member of the Oath Keepers...

My tagline!

7 posted on 03/13/2021 3:33:33 AM PST by Road Warrior ‘04 (BOYCOTT The NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR & Faux Snooze! Molon Labe! Oathkeeper! )
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To: LegendHasIt

Never gonna happen, Can anyone say made up BS.
Welcome stazi round 2


8 posted on 03/13/2021 3:35:09 AM PST by mabarker1 ((Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress !!!!)
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To: LegendHasIt

While ignoring the US takeover,
the DO”J” remain PROVEN liars, proven seditionists,
that only help RAPISTS of children TIED DOWN with TAPE,
that ONLY help traitors and seditionists,
as they JAIL conservatives and murder witnesses
WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY for them operating far
outside the US Constitution ... for themselves and CCP.


9 posted on 03/13/2021 4:03:44 AM PST by Diogenesis ("Valour is superior to numbers" - Vegetius)
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To: nonsporting

Bingo. Beat me to it. Let’s start accusing Andrew Cuomo of being a member of Oath Keepers and see if that gets him pushed out of office.


10 posted on 03/13/2021 4:51:37 AM PST by Hardastarboard (Don't wish your enemy ill; plan it.)
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To: blueplum

“But Mehta didn’t buy that argument. He wondered out loud why Oath Keepers hold the “fanciful” belief that they need to act as a “roving band... ready to step in” if antifa comes into town.”

The available police were unable to secure the Capitol against intrusion by a small band of mostly peaceful protesters.

But it was just crazy fantasy to think that same inadequate police presence could protect a million Trump supporters from violent trained anarchists who have rioted and burned across America for the past year?

Oath Keepers might be indulging in Knight in Shining Armor/Rambo fantasies, but that doesn’t mean there was no danger to be concerned about. Judge Mehta can’t conceive that free citizens have both a right and a duty to step in when anarchy — the absence of civil authority — threatens their own.


11 posted on 03/13/2021 6:30:28 AM PST by Chewbarkah
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To: knighthawk
Don't take this as a reflection of the seriousness of what you've been charged with, or your conduct,' Mehta said.

No evidence. But the seriousness of the charge is enough. What happened to this nation?

12 posted on 03/13/2021 6:41:30 AM PST by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: knighthawk

Oath keepers don’t plot.


13 posted on 03/13/2021 6:58:02 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: knighthawk

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/retired-30-yr-navy-chaplain-volunteered-speak-fbi-protest-capitol-jan-6th-happened-next-terrifying-video/


14 posted on 03/13/2021 7:43:56 AM PST by victim soul (victim soul)
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To: ronnie raygun

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/update-alabama-patriot-joshua-james-overwhelmed-emotion-americans-raise-85000-family-arrest-harassment-fbi/


15 posted on 03/13/2021 8:55:49 AM PST by victim soul (victim soul)
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To: nonsporting

“Not a crime.”

To my knowledge every state bans private militia operations in public.

If the court determines that OKs conducted a public operation in DC, then being present in DC as a member of OK was indeed a crime.

I would think more highly of OK if they openly intended to defy the law for their beliefs.

That would put them into the same league as the militiamen of Lexington and Concord.


16 posted on 03/13/2021 10:39:46 AM PST by hank ernade (armchair macho bravado EverTrumper)
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To: hank ernade
To my knowledge every state bans private militia operations in public.

Not to my knowledge and I have been active in the Militia movement since 1992. It is not a violation of law to be a member of the Militia. Most of us are members of the unorganized Militia of the United States per Federal statute. What's more none of the "Grandmaster Jay's" NFA dufi have been arrested based solely on their membership in that racist "Militia". (Those who pointed firearms at law enforcement or had negligent discharges are another matter.)

But that is not what we are talking about here. OK is more akin to a fraternal organization that an ANTIFA-like pro-commie vanguard.

What's more I don't need to be a member of any organization to defy unconstitutional policies. When the Usurper and his commie cronies in Congress infringe the RKBA, all who have sworn to uphold and defend COTUS can keep their oath.

17 posted on 03/13/2021 12:20:49 PM PST by nonsporting (To relieve sickness, sometimes one must hurl.)
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To: nonsporting

“Not to my knowledge and I have been active in the Militia movement since 1992. It is not a violation of law to be a member of the Militia. Most of us are members of the unorganized Militia of the United States per Federal statute.”

Do you have a reading comprehension problem?

Where did I say anything resembling it is “a violation of the law to be a member of the militia.”

You pulled that straight out of your bum - however since most private militiamen are a few parallels short of stupid as a rubber battering ram I’m not surprised.

Every state as far as I know prohibits any organized action by any private militia on public ground.

You can play clown circus commando on private property all you want.

The ONLY lawful PUBLIC militias are those regulated by the several states, as in “well regulated militia”.

I suspect you found “unorganized Militia of the United States per Federal statute” in your bum as well since there is no such enactment in federal law.


18 posted on 03/13/2021 1:04:42 PM PST by hank ernade (armchair macho bravado EverTrumper)
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To: hank ernade; admin

Who is this troll saying Oath Keepers is illegal???


19 posted on 03/13/2021 1:08:59 PM PST by snarkytart
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To: snarkytart

Who said “Oath Keepers is illegal???”?


20 posted on 03/13/2021 1:17:43 PM PST by hank ernade (armchair macho bravado EverTrumper)
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