A leader of the Oath Keepers militia group said he coordinated with the Proud Boys about members working together during the protests that sparked the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, according to a court filing by prosecutors Tuesday night.
Facebook chats made public in the filing by the U.S. Department of Justice show Kelly Meggs of the paramilitary organization Oath Keepers discussing his communications with Proud Boys leadership and how he ‘orchestrated a plan’ with the fellow right-wing group, CNN reported.
Meggs, a resident of Dunnellon Florida, is one of 10 alleged members or associates of the Oath Keepers charged with conspiring to interfere in Congress’ certification of the Electoral College count that finalized the election of President Joe Biden.
The new claims about Meggs and the Proud Boys are the first time prosecutors have publicly linked alleged violent efforts of the two extremist groups so closely, although the organizations have a history of working and appearing together at right-wing events since the early days of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Criminal conspiracy cases against the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers are among the most aggressive actions from the Justice Department following the violent pro-Trump riot.
The Oath Keepers are known to recruit law enforcement and military operatives and are described by the Justice Department as a ‘paramilitary organization.’
Oath Keepers leader Kelly Meggs in an undated police photo
Oath Keepers leader Kelly Meggs at a rally at the Supreme Court on Jan. 5, a day before the Capitol riot
While the messages show communications between members of the groups, prosecutors did not allege an overarching conspiracy before the Capitol attack and Justice Department officials have not indicated there is evidence supporting that conclusion.
In a December 22 Facebook message, Meggs discussed the Oath Keepers having 50 to 100 members in Washington, D.C., on January 6.
‘Plus we have made contact with PB and they always have a big group. Force multiplier,’ Meggs wrote
Three days later on Christmas, Meggs messaged again with a person he urged to come to Washington, providing what prosecutors call a ‘provisions list’ of armor and non-gun weapons to bring.
He also described a more detailed attack plan with the Proud Boys, who call themselves a fraternal group promoting ‘anti-political correctness’ and ‘anti-white guilt.’
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on his first day at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., on March 11
‘You can hang with us we will probably be guarding [redacted] or someone during the day but then at night we have orchestrated a plan with the proud boys,’ Meggs wrote, an excerpt from the Facebook messages said.
‘I’ve been communicating with [redacted] the leader. We are going to march with them for awhile then fall back to the back of the crowd and turn off,’ Meggs wrote. ‘Then we will have the proud boys get in front of them … we will come in behind antifa and beat the hell out of them.’
There were no major conflicts on January 6 between right- and left-wing activists, as there have been at numerous previous events.
Proud Boys’ leader Enrique Tarrio, left, and Infowars host Alex Jones, center, are seen as Trump supporters gather at Freedom Plaza for the ‘Million MAGA March’ on November 14, 2020
Proud Boys members Joseph Biggs, left, and Ethan Nordean, right with megaphone, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, in support of President Donald Trump. The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers make up a fraction of the more than 300 Trump supporters charged so far in the siege that led to Trump’s second impeachment and resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer. Several of their leaders, members and associates have become central targets of the Justice Department’s investigation
By the day after Christmas, however, Meggs appeared to have abandoned all discussion of Antifa and was focused on overturning the results of the election, The New York Times reported.
On Dec. 26, the new court papers said, Meggs wrote a message announcing ‘Trumps staying in’ and expressed plans to use the ’emergency broadcast system on cellphones’ to invoke the Insurrection Act, effectively establishing martial law.
Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, said he did not know Meggs and did not believe the reference in the Facebook message was to him.
The Justice Department’s filing said it also has credit card records of Meggs paying for four hotel rooms in the Washington, D.C., area from January 5 to January 7, along with online meeting records showing him holding planning sessions for the event, CNN reported.
The new information is part of arguments by prosecutors against releasing Meggs, who has pleaded not guilty and seeks to be released as he awaits trial.
Other members of the could face sedition charges over their alleged role in plotting the Capitol siege. The rare charge is being weighed up by Justice Department officials after several members of the paramilitary group were arrested in the wake of the riot.
Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Marie Watkins and Donovan Ray Crowl were indicted on related charges in January. All three were described as military veterans affiliated with the Oath Keepers, while Watkins and Crowl also are said to be members of the Ohio State Regular Militia.
