Secret Service agent was 'unofficial liaison' to Oath Keepers founder before Trump’s J6 rally: watchdog

In late May, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes — found guilty of seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection — was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. Rhodes, however, is likely to receive a presidential pardon if former President Donald Trump or another Republican defeats President Joe Biden in 2024.

Before the Oath Keepers founder was indicted, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under Attorney General Merrick Garland conducted an in-depth investigation of his activities in the weeks and months leading up to the January 6, 2021 attack. According to the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Government (CREW), members of the U.S. Secret Service were in touch with Rhodes before the election.

Jordan Libowitz and Sara Wiatrak of CREW, in a report published on August 23, explain, "Internal Secret Service e-mails obtained by CREW show special agents in close communication with Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, while failing to acknowledge the group's ties to white nationalists and clashes with law enforcement. In September 2020, a Secret Service agent sent an e-mail to others within the agency, informing them that he had just spoken to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes about an upcoming visit by then-President Trump to Fayetteville, NC."

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Libowitz and Wiatrak add that the agent, who referred to himself as "the unofficial liaison to the Oath Keepers (inching towards official)," described the far-right group as "primarily retired law enforcement/former military members who are very pro-LEO (law enforcement officer) and pro-Trump."

According to Libowitz and Wiatrak, "The e-mails obtained by CREW as part of an ongoing public records request offer only a snapshot of the communication between the Oath Keepers and the Secret Service. As they focus solely on the time period around the Fayetteville event, the extent of the contact Stewart Rhodes had with the agency remains unknown. The agent 'inching towards' being the 'official' liaison for Oath Keepers suggests a more longstanding relationship with Rhodes."

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CREW's full report is available at this link.