A new Republican-led House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack ignited immediate controversy this week by featuring a prominent guest: Stewart Rhodes, the convicted founder of the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers.
A Controversial Front-Row Guest
During the first hearing of the panel on Wednesday, Florida Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz sharply criticized his GOP colleagues for providing Rhodes a seat in a reserved front-row section. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in orchestrating the deadly riot aimed at overturning the 2020 election results.
"It’s not every day, of course... you get to meet someone who was convicted of seditious conspiracy against the United States. Hasn’t happened in 30 years," Moskowitz remarked from the committee floor. He questioned the purpose of Rhodes's attendance with pointed sarcasm, wondering if he was there to discuss "the Oath Keepers’ secret handshake" or "what treehouse they meet in."
Background of a Militia Leader
Stewart Rhodes's presence was particularly striking given his legal history and recent activities. In May 2023, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison, one of the longest penalties handed down related to January 6. However, upon his return to office, President Donald Trump commuted that sentence. Furthermore, a Washington, D.C., district court had previously barred Rhodes from entering the U.S. Capitol grounds without permission, an order rescinded just days later.
In a move that alarmed watchdog groups, Rhodes relaunched the Oath Keepers in November 2025. He claimed the militia could be called upon by the president to "repel invasions" and "suppress insurrections," rhetoric that critics say dangerously mischaracterizes the group's violent role in the very insurrection the committee was meant to examine.
Republican Narrative Faces Scrutiny
The hearing, described by the Associated Press as a "revisionist spectacle," saw Republicans like Representative Troy Nehls of Texas dismiss the prior bipartisan January 6 select committee as a "total sham." Nehls also accused police officers who testified about the violence of putting on "a pretty good show."
This framing created a stark irony noted by Democratic observers. The House Judiciary Democrats account highlighted it on social media, pointing out that Republicans who insist there was no insurrection seated the leader of a group convicted for planning one in their reserved front row.
The event underscores the deeply partisan divide over the legacy of January 6. For Democrats and many legal experts, the hearing and Rhodes's invitation represent an effort to downplay a serious attack on democracy. For the GOP faction leading the panel, it is an opportunity to challenge the established narrative and investigate the investigation itself.
