Virginia man with ties to anti-government 'Oath Keepers' pleads not
guilty in Capitol riots case
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[February 13, 2021]
By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Virginia man whom
prosecutors accuse of plotting for months in advance with fellow
associates of the anti-government "Oath Keepers" militia to storm the
U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday.
Thomas Caldwell, a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander who has held a
security clearance and once worked for the FBI, was indicted last month
along with Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl on charges of conspiracy,
obstruction of an official proceeding, destroying government property
and entering a restricted building.
A federal judge on Friday also denied a renewed bid by Caldwell to be
released from jail pending trial, after prosecutors said he had tried to
destroy evidence against him, and argued he poses a danger to the
community.
"The nature and circumstances of the offenses could not be more
serious," U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C. said. The
evidence suggests that Caldwell "engaged in planning and communications
with others ... to plan a potential military-like incursion on the
Capitol," Mehta said.
Followers of then president Donald Trump stormed the Capitol to disrupt
the certification by lawmakers of Joe Biden's election victory after
months of Trump making unsubstantiated claims the vote was fraudulent.
The riots led to five deaths, including a police officer. Trump was
impeached by the House of Representatives on a charge of inciting an
insurrection and is being tried in the Senate.
In court on Friday, Caldwell grew agitated as Mehta discussed his ruling
and read aloud snippets of texts and other evidence prosecutors had
gathered against him, and interrupted the proceeding to object that
things were taken out of context.
"Anything you say on this record could be used against you," Mehta
reminded him.
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Riot damage is visible on the Rotunda doors of the U.S. Capitol in
Washington, U.S. January 8, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
In court filings this week, prosecutors said the FBI had found a
document entitled "Death List" during a search of Caldwell's home
with the hand-written name of an election official in another state.
Prosecutors declined to identify the name of the election official
in open court on Friday, except to say the official had received
some publicity because of the 2020 presidential election and is not
from Caldwell's home state of Virginia.
The Justice Department has said it has evidence of extensive
planning by Caldwell, Watkins and Crowl ahead of the Jan. 6 riots,
including a plot to stage an armed "quick reaction force" outside of
Washington that would be ready to swoop in and fight "hand to hand"
if ordered by Trump.
The judge also said he found it "astonishing" that Caldwell
allegedly exchanged messages with an associate of another militia
group called the "Three Percenters" to discuss the idea of
transporting weapons across the Potomac River.
Caldwell's attorney denied his client is a member of the Oath
Keepers or that he ever actually entered the U.S. Capitol building
itself, citing physical ailments that would have prevented him from
doing so.
Prosecutors on Friday acknowledged they don't have evidence Caldwell
is a "dues-paying" member, but said he nevertheless has strong ties
to the group.
(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; editing by Grant McCool)
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