A Texas resident and alleged member of the far-right organization called the Oath Keepers has been arrested for his participation in the Capitol riot after his identity was confirmed to federal authorities by an ex-girlfriend. The newly arrested individual is Geoffrey Shough, who was among those at the front of the crowd for a push through the doors leading into the Senate wing of the Capitol. His charges include civil disorder, which is a felony offense, and a slew of misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct in a capitol building. Other members of the Oath Keepers have been charged with seditious conspiracy in connection to the riot, and recently, one — Joshua James, who helped provide personal security to Trump ally Roger Stone around the time of the riot — pleaded guilty to the offense.
Guardian US: Trump’s private schedule for Jan. 6 — timestamped 11:22a — shows he knew before he started speaking at the Ellipse at 11:50a that he was to travel directly back to the White House after his speech.
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) March 5, 2022
As for the role that Shough’s former girlfriend had in confirming his identity to federal authorities, an ‘anonymous tipster identified Shough to the FBI on behalf of another person, “Tipster 2,” who knew Shough’s girlfriend, called “L.P.” in [court] documents,’ per reporting from an Austin, Texas-area ABC affiliate. The FBI then got directly in touch with Shough’s former girlfriend, garnering insights including that Shough had indicated that he was thinking about attending the outdoor rally in D.C. on January 6 that immediately preceded at the attack on the Capitol. As further explained by that Texas news outlet, Shough’s “ex-girlfriend positively identified Shough in multiple images and video tapes just one week after they had broken up.” Shough provided financial support to the Oath Keepers organization, and a logo affiliated with the group is on the helmet he wore at the Capitol.
Guardian US: Trump appears to have encouraged the crowd to march on the Capitol, on a false premise, in the hope the volatile security situation would lead to some event to stop Biden’s certification. https://t.co/NDoHQegUWI
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) March 5, 2022
James admitted in his plea agreement to preparations on the part of individuals involved in the Oath Keepers for potentially using lethal force in an effort to keep Trump in power. The idea was that Trump may have invoked a federal law known as the Insurrection Act, which allows presidents to call up militia groups — and members of the Oath Keepers were prepared to fulfill that militia role. As the plea deal put it, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers “instructed [James] and others to be prepared and called upon to… use lethal force if necessary” amid their attempts to support keeping Trump in the White House despite Biden’s election victory. Notably, James also agreed to provide information to prosecutors, potentially helping them build their case against the other members of his organization who have been charged with seditious conspiracy. Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the group, is among those who have been charged with the offense; in the lead-up to January 6, he spent tens of thousands of dollars on weapons.
Guardian US: Trump made the false promises that led the crowd to go to the Capitol in spite of being told by Secret Service the situation was too volatile for them to guarantee his security if he went, per source
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) March 5, 2022
Featured Image (edited): via Blink o’fanaye on Flickr and available under a Creative Commons License
