Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) – A member of the extremist group Oath Keepers brought explosives to the Washington, DC area ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, according to the U.S. Justice Department. USA. In a court filing, federal prosecutors alleged that Jeremy Brown, a member of the Oath Keepers from Florida, drove explosively into a Virginia hotel in his recreational vehicle on January 6. A second member of the group, Thomas Caldwell, was later found in possession of a “death list” that included the name of a Georgia election official, according to the document. In a statement released by his attorney, Caldwell denied the allegation against him. “The DOJ claim that I sought to assassinate election officials is a 100% false and disgusting lie. Unfortunately, the mountain of exculpatory evidence exonerating me is being hidden from public view by the DOJ through protective orders,” the statement said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register A legal representative for Brown was not immediately available for comment. The 28-page court document, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., outlines evidence the Justice Department is likely to present later this year in the conspiracy trial of Oath Keepers members, including Caldwell and the group’s leader, Stewart Rhodes . He lists Brown as an unprosecuted co-conspirator. The testimony came as the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot prepared to hold two hearings next week. The hearing set for Tuesday is expected to focus on efforts to rally Trump supporters, including members of the extremist groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, to the Capitol. read more The January 6 attack took place as Congress worked to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over Trump. U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican committee member, said Trump could be held criminally responsible for allegedly encouraging the attack with false claims that the election was stolen from him. read more More than 840 people have been charged with involvement in the Capitol riot, attacks on police and sent lawmakers scrambling for security. About 250 defendants pleaded guilty, including some members of the Oath Keepers. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by David Morgan Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
