Just hours after the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, Oath Keeper founder & leaders Stewart Rhodes found himself on the defensive to other members.

"Look, I WAS THERE. I WAS RIGHT OUTSIDE. Patriots stormed in," Rhodes (ID'd by the DoJ as 'Person One') wrote in a group chat.

He was swiftly rebuked by someone called Person Eleven: "This organization is a huge fucking joke. You Stewart Rhodes are the dumbass I heard you were. Good luck getting rich off those Dumb ass PSD donations you fuck stick."

Since then, Rhodes has given numerous interviews and made public appearances downplaying his role in the day's events while also denying anything improper actually happened that day. Last week, his lawyer said the mob was "invited" into the building. https://twitter.com/bennybryant17/status/1380185356230868996?s=20

But according to a new DoJ filing, Rhodes has struck a very different tone in private. On March 6, he sent a lengthy screed on Signal to Oath Keeper Kenneth Harrelson, pledging to reform the group.

"From now on I WILL NOT presume that all know better than to do stupid shit."

"It starts with me and my national team," Rhodes said. "Ultimately it has to be on leadership. Not the men."

The DoJ might have noted that it is his "men" who are currently indicted for conspiracy, and not Rhodes, but instead it shows it has been watching his every move.

"Since the January 6 attack on the Capitol, (Rhodes) has ordered Oath Keepers to continue to engage in undetected communications & to disobey laws and orders enforced by an administration deemed illegitimate," prosecutors write.

On March 9, Rhodes acknowledged a story I wrote that — based on the date — is likely this one, reporting on evidence of his role in the Capitol Riots.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kenbensinger/prosecutors-describe-role-oath-keepers-leader

Further chats show that Rhodes continued to delegate power to Harrelson, giving him "administrative control of an Oath Keepers chat" — despite the fact that Harrelson had made a show of resigning from the organization in late January, which prosecutors call "a farce."

The DoJ lays this out because it wants to keep Harrelson behind bars. Last week, Harrelson argued for bond claiming "the government cannot establish that Mr. Harrelson participated in planning for the violence that erupted at the Capitol" https://twitter.com/kenbensinger/status/1379670397730234373?s=20

Au contraire! prosecutors argue in a lengthy filing Monday night. Instead, they say, he was part of Oath Keeper leadership, helping coordinate ahead of time and keeping involved in the group after the events of Jan. 6. Here's the full filing. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20613662-harrelson-usa-oppositiont-to-release-reconsideration

Harrelson, whom fellow defendant Kelly Meggs said was "run(ning) the ground team," apparently stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in DC, but he stopped at a Comfort Inn for in VA an hour on Jan. 5, according to cell phone location data revealed in the new filing.

That's important because Signal chat data shows that the Comfort Inn was serving as the Oath Keepers' "QRF hotel" (for Quick Reaction Force) where, the DoJ alleges, "it is reasonable to believe" weapons were dropped.

On Jan 7 another Oath Keeper sent Harrelson a msg asking if he'd left his "shit" at the Comfort Inn "in that room?" Just 20 minutes later, cell phone data show, Harrelson was back at the Comfort Inn. Video shows him rolling what appears to be a rifle case down the hotel hall.

Crediting work by @nytimes and the @AP , the DoJ includes a photo that shows Harrelson facing the Oath Keepers "stack," apparently encouraging them to push up into the building, then he joined the stack and went in, filming as he went — despite later claims to the contrary.

Prosecutors note that Harrelson hung out with a crowd of Oath Keepers around Stewart Rhodes after leaving the Capitol & that when the FBI searched his home in March, it found a gun locker, 3 firearms, a "go bag" containing ammo, a burner phone, and survival guides.

One of the books was "Technological Slavery: the Collected Writings of Theodore J. Kaczynski, aka 'The Unabomber.'"

"The materials," prosecutors wrote, "are consistent with someone seeking to evade detection."

(OTOH, the book is available on @amazon right now)

Despite sending 2 resignation letters to Meggs, by early March, records show Harrelson was making phone calls with Rhodes and on March 6, he sent an apology to Rhodes on Signal for not not providing better oversight of Kelly Meggs.

9 days later, Harrelson faced a magistrate at his detention hearing, testifying under oath that he took no videos inside the Capitol. "That was a lie," prosecutors write. "He not only took a video, but also sent it via message to multiple people on Jan 6, 7, and 12."

He also encouraged his wife to testify (note: it's extremely unusual for defendants to take the stand at such hearings) and she claimed "there was never an assault rifle in the house." But as documented above, there was an AR-15 in the gun locker.

"Perjuring oneself at a detention hearing is an appropriate consideration" for detention, the DoJ writes, pointing to "Harrelson's continued participation in the Oath Keepers, despite claims to the contrary & willingness to commit obstruction and perjure himself."