Western States Center: Rhodes Conviction is a Win for Democracy

In response to the conviction of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes on seditious conspiracy charges stemming from his involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, Lindsay Schubiner, Momentum Program Director at Western States Center, issued the following statement:

“Today’s conviction sends a clear signal that individuals who help coordinate violent attacks on our government can and will be held accountable for their actions. This verdict is a win for everyone who believes in inclusive democracy and the fundamental principle that bigotry and political violence have no place in our communities or our country.

“This trial is only the first in which those involved in high-level planning of the insurrection have faced serious consequences. It sets an important precedent for other legal action based on this coordinated attack on our democracy and has potentially huge implications for how we respond to the threat of bigoted, anti-democracy groups in the United States.

“White nationalist and paramilitary movements have worked to normalize their bigoted ideologies, aided by many in elected office. The January 6 insurrection was a clear demonstration of the violence against American people and democratic institutions that will only increase if these movements gain more power. Legal action is an essential part of limiting their power building, but it is not enough. Bigoted and anti-democracy movements are a whole of society problem and require strong and principled responses from every elected official, sector, and community in order to defend American democracy.”