Stewart Rhodes lobbies lawmakers for Oath Keeper pardons after release

Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, recently visited Capitol Hill shortly after President Trump commuted his 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. During his visit, Rhodes advocated for the release of fellow Oath Keeper Jeremy Brown, who is serving a seven-year sentence for weapons charges. He met with Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis and was accompanied by far-right activist Ivan Raiklin, emphasizing his belief that Trump should have pardoned all involved in the riot. While Rhodes did not enter the Capitol building, he expressed regret for his past inflammatory comments and maintained that he did not direct his followers to storm the Capitol. His visit coincided with House Speaker Mike Johnson's revival of a committee investigating the January 6 events, which seeks to frame Trump's actions in a more favorable light. Judges in Washington's federal court have raised concerns about the implications of Trump's mass pardons on the ongoing legal narrative surrounding the Capitol attack.