Oath Keepers 'Call to Action' for Flynn sentencing a bust
After whipping up fears that violent protesters were being bussed in across the country 鈥� leading the nation鈥檚 largest antigovernment militia group to issue an urgent 鈥溾�� 鈥� only a handful of supporters of Lt. General Michael Flynn appeared outside the U.S. District Courthouse Tuesday for Flynn鈥檚 scheduled sentencing.
Singing 鈥淕od Bless America鈥� and waiving pro-Flynn signs, the gaggle of supporters was a far cry from the promises from far-right leaders that a 鈥渃adre of patriots from around the country鈥� would appear in force, according to 聽issued by John B. Wells, the host of a couple of far-right podcasts.
Wells claimed in his statement that Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the antigovernment group Oath Keepers, told him that 鈥淥ath Keepers will be there to protect the people鈥� from violent protesters.
On Dec. 14, Rhodes issued a formal call for members to gather in Washington for Flynn鈥檚 court appearance.
鈥淎ntifa is expected to be there and may attempt to silence by force and intimidation, which is their standard M.O.,鈥� Rhodes stated. 鈥淥ath Keepers will be there to help protect people from unlawful violence as consistently perpetrated by Antifa.鈥�
There was no sign of antifa outside the courthouse.
And there was no sign of Rhodes, either.
Hatewatch observed only one Oath Keeper member wearing the group鈥檚 apparel, although other members may have been present in civilian clothing.
Wells also claimed that members of the motorcycle club Bikers for Trump would be in attendance.
Chris Cox, national director of Bikers for Trump, did show up with his German shepherd on a short leash. Cox stood next the courthouse entrance for about an hour before wandering out into the street.
The most interesting prop that appeared during the hours-long vigil outside the courthouse was a 15-foot inflatable rat with yellow hair holding a cell phone. The Trump caricature was inflated on the back of a small pickup truck that had maddogpac.com decal on its side.
Oath Keepers will have another chance to make a show of force, since Flynn鈥檚 sentencing was 聽until after March 13. In the meantime, the antigovernment group has also encouraged its members to marshal at the southern U.S. border to thwart a perceived 鈥渋nvasion鈥� of migrants fleeing for safety. Rhodes sees migrants as a national security threat and part of a plot by the political left and the fictitious so-called Deep State to change demographics in its favor.
鈥淥ur concern is that the Deep State is going to run the clock out on Trump, and nothing will change on the border,鈥� Rhodes said. 鈥淎nd we know that鈥檚 the endgame for the Democratic Party, it鈥檚 what they want, which is to bring in more voters that they think will vote Democrat. That鈥檚 the whole point. And so we have to stop that. It鈥檚 an existential threat to the survival of our nation.鈥�
Internal planning documents obtained by the Military Times revealed that the U.S. military warned its troops deploying to the border about the dangers these right-wing vigilante groups pose. The documents cautioned homegrown militias might incite violence or steal military equipment.
Photo contributed
