Oath Keepers Seditious Conspiracy Trial

Trial began today, with the DOJ laying out a pretty withering case against Stewart Rhodes & his four buddies.

Rachel pointed out, on tonight's show, that "seditious conspiracy" hasn't been charged since 1944, and hasn't been won since the Civil War. The difficulty is, if your seditious conspiracy succeeds, the new administration isn't going to punish you. By it's very definition, "seditious conspiracy" means your plot failed, which gives the defense all sorts of openings to claim that you weren't serious, or weren't competent, or didn't pose a real threat for one reason or another. But, as Rachel pointed out, that can't be the decision tree: either overthrow the government, or get away scot-free. That's not a workable plan.

So it'll be interesting to see how this trial shakes out.

Because, as go the Oath Keepers so goes Trump.

Stewart Rhodes was found guilty today.

I believe(?) this is the first successful seditious conspiracy conviction in U.S. history. The Civil War-era trial ended in a hung jury I think, and the 1944 trial detailed by Rachel Maddow in "Ultra" ended when the judge died and a mistrial was declared.

So, nobody knows what the penalty is? Is it the same as treason = execution?

Wow, four more found guilty today. Penalty should be a firing squad. Make an example of them.