Last Thursday, Stuart Rhodes, the founder of the right-wing paramilitary "militia" group the Oath Keepers, was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a federal court for the crime of seditious conspiracy in connection to the Jan. 6 coup attempt. It is the most serious punishment yet for those who have been convicted of participating in Trump's coup attempt.
Given the law, Rhodes was lucky to receive an 18-year sentence – that he will appeal. Rhodes is unrepentant and believes that he is a "victim" of a "conspiracy." He considers himself a "patriot," and ultimately a "hero" in a larger struggle to "save" democracy. During his sentencing, Rhodes told the judge, "I'm a political prisoner and like President Trump, my only crime is opposing those who are destroying our country."
