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WASHINGTON (7News) — The founder of the anti-governmental "Oath Keepers" militia, who himself recently had his 18-year prison sentence commuted, appeared outside of D.C.'s Central Detention Facility as he awaited the release of others who he helped encourage others to storm the U.S. Capitol in support of President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021.
7News cameras caught the moment Stewart Rhodes arrived outside the Southeast, D.C. facility, hours after he was released from a federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland. Rhodes was sentenced in 2023 for orchestrating a violent plot to place Trump back in office after former President Joe Biden was elected to office in 2020.
READ MORE | Trump issues pardons for participants in the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol
Outside the D.C. jail, Rhodes was surrounded by others wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and other Trump-related apparel seemingly thrilled with the anticipated release of more convicted rioters, who the president has labeled "hostages" and "patriots."
He repeated his belief that Capitol rioters weren't given a fair trial, but did not elaborate on how.
"I think Trump did the right thing," Rhodes said. "President Trump did the right thing by letting these guys out and pardoning them because they did not get a fair trial. That's not on him. That's on the DOJ [Department of Justice]."
His commuted sentence, along with pardons and commuted sentences for roughly 1,500 others, came directly from Trump's pen just hours into his second term thus concluding a promise he repeatedly echoed on the campaign trail and again to applause inside the Capitol Rotunda shortly after taking the oath of office.
Among the first to be released from D.C. jail were two brothers from Pennsylvania, who both pleaded guilty to felony charges related to assaulting, impeding, or resisting certain officers during the Capitol riots.
Officials expect other pardoned rioters to be released over the coming days, depending on the type of pardon and necessary travel arrangements needed.
It was also a fear of several federal judges who convicted many of the participants, some of those judges were appointed in Trump's previous administration.
Following the Capitol riots, Trump and many of his most fervent supporters have made efforts to downplay or rewrite the events of Jan. 6, when thousands forcefully entered the U.S. Capitol shortly after a "Stop the Steal" rally in an attempt to stop the ceremonial certification of the 2020 election.
PREVIOUS | Watchdog finds FBI intelligence missteps before Jan. 6 riot
Many of his supporters have claimed the rally was "peaceful" and shared conspiracies that those who stormed the capitol were embedded government agents. They've instead shifted the blame on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and others for not supplying enough troops to secure the event.
However, thousands of documents released by a congressional bipartisan Jan. 6 committee and court filings, hours of videos, and thousands of photos from that day paint a much different picture, including records that showed some sought to harm congressional members.
While some claimed they were caught up in the moment and tried to remain low, others on social media and private chats have proudly spoken of their involvement.
During Monday's Inauguration, members of the Proud Boys, another group whose membership took part on Jan. 6, proudly wore their colors and merchandise, while marching along D.C. streets with other supporters of Trump.
Their leader, Enrique Tarrio, was released from his lengthy federal prison sentence Monday night into Tuesday morning.
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