Oath Keepers militia, far-right Proud Boys coordinated plans for Capitol assault, Justice Department says

WASHINGTON — A leader of the Oath Keepers militia was communicating with members of the far-right Proud Boys in the weeks leading to the U.S. Capitol attack, federal prosecutors allege, suggesting for the first time the extremist groups had formed an alliance for the day of the deadly assault.

The disclosure came in court papers filed late Tuesday arguing that Kelly Meggs, the 52-year-old head of the Oath Keepers’ chapter in Florida, is too dangerous to release pending trial in Washington’s federal court. Meggs has been charged along with nine other alleged members of the Oath Keepers in a six-count indictment accusing them of conspiring to attack the Capitol Jan. 6 to stop the counting of Electoral College votes cementing President Joe Biden’s victory.

In their expansive investigation of the Capitol assault, which left five people dead, federal agents are examining the role far-right groups played in organizing and fomenting the riot. At least 16 alleged members of the Oath Keepers, described by federal authorities as a large but loosely organized anti-government militia, have been charged in the insurrection.

Prosecutors allege Meggs played a key role in the Oath Keepers’ plotting and financing of their actions in Washington, while coordinating his militia’s actions with other extremists in the hopes of disrupting Congress’ work counting Electoral College votes.

Meggs revealed his coordination efforts in electronic communications to other members of his group, prosecutors said. On Dec. 19, for example, he bragged to an associate that he had “organized an alliance” between the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys and “Three Percenters,” another far-right group. “We have decided to work together and shut this s- — down,” he wrote.

A few days later, he wrote, “we have made contact with the (Proud Boys) and they always have a big group. Force multiplier.” He described how the two groups could coordinate attacks on demonstrators, particularly antifascists. “We will come in behind antifa and beat the hell out of them,” Meggs added.

At least 20 members of the Proud Boys have been indicted in the riot. The Proud Boys have been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for espousing white nationalist views, as well as misogynistic and anti-muslim rhetoric. The group, whose members have been known to engage in violent actions, describes itself as a “pro-western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world.”

Meggs’ attorneys have argued that the manager of an auto dealership should be released on bail because there is no evidence he acted violently or destroyed property, and they say he protected a Capitol police officer who was about to be assaulted by the mob. Lawyers for other alleged Oath Keepers have said that their clients had intended to battle antifa, a loose association of anti-facist activists, not to break into the Capitol.

The Justice Department’s court filing, however, argues that as the Jan. 6 counting of electoral votes approached, Meggs was focused on overturning the results of the election, by any means necessary.

Trump is “staying in” power, the Oath Keeper wrote an associate Dec. 26, according to alleged messages prosecutors included in their filings. “He’s Gonna use the emergency broadcast system on cell phones to broadcast to the American people. Then he will claim the insurrection act.”

“That’s awesome,” the associate replied. “Any idea when?”

“Next week,” Meggs wrote. “Then wait for the 6th when we are all in DC to insurrection.”