Possible evidence of the Oath Keepers “quick reaction force” (QRF) mentioned in court documents and hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection investigation appeared Monday at Arlington, Virginia-based news site ARLnow:
On Jan. 6, a group of ten or so men — at least one of whom was wearing a tactical earpiece — watched the storming of the U.S. Capitol from across the Potomac in Arlington.
Previously unpublished photos taken by ARLnow that day show the men loitering near the Marine Corps War Memorial, with the overrun Capitol in the background. Parked nearby are numerous vehicles, mostly pickup trucks and SUVs with out-of-state license plates.
One pickup truck, with large toolbox in the back, was left running.
The man with the earpiece appears to have been focused on some sort of communications device with an antenna. He was among a group standing outside, in the cold, wearing hooded sweatshirts and other inconspicuous cold weather gear. None were wearing the tactical vests and helmets that militia members who charged into the Capitol that day wore.
Still, the group was deemed suspicious enough that Arlington County police received at least one call from a passerby, concerned about what they were doing there. An officer drove by after the 4 p.m. call but didn’t see anything, according to police department spokesman Ashley Savage.
The Marine Corps War Memorial is about a 10-minute drive from the Oath Keepers’ U.S. Capitol area of operations (AO).
From Talking Points Memo’s coverage:
According to prosecutors, alleged Capitol conspirator Tom Caldwell wrote about a QRF participant in a text message to Watkins on Dec. 30. The message was subsequently quoted in the federal indictment against several Oath Keepers.
“As we speak he is trying to book a room at Comfort Inn Ballston/Arlington because of its close-in location and easy access to downtown because he feels 1) he’s too broken down to be on the ground all day and 2) he is committed to being the quick reaction force anf [sic] bringing the tools if something goes to hell,” Caldwell allegedly wrote.
“That way the boys don’t have to try and schlep weps on the bus. He’ll bring them in his truck the day before,” Caldwell allegedly added, seemingly referring to weapons.
In an alleged Jan. 2 message to another indicted conspirator, Donovan Crowl, Caldwell referred to someone named “Paul” getting a room at the same hotel. “He will be the quick reaction force,” Caldwell allegedly wrote, adding later: “Paul will have the goodies in case things go bad and we need to get heavy.”
It’s all fun and war games until someone faces indictment for armed insurrection. Walter Einenkel of Daily Kos writes that with possible jail time in their futures, Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are playing contrite in court:
This comes after Proud Boy members trying out the legal defense of, “Whoops, we didn’t know we were breaking the law,” or, “Whoops, we thought Donald Trump was telling us the truth,” or, “Whoops, we didn’t think we could get arrested for breaking the law.” Watkins in particular tried to renounce her involvement in the Oath Keepers and say she was finished playing seditionist, so could she go home and pretend none of this happened?
Jessica Watkins had told an Oath Keeper recruit, “I’m no doctor. I’m a soldier. A medic with a rifle, maybe, but a solider. I will hurt/kill those who try to hurt/kill me or others.”
“Don’t plan an insurrection on Facebook,” Macy Wheeler warned Oath Keepers Sunday. FBI filings make it plain “how hard it is to delete evidence in an age of social media while conspiring with dozens of other co-conspirators.” Filings also show the FBI plan to get sealed warrants against many alleged conspirators “who are obviously obstructing the investigation,” but may hold them in reserve while obtaining more evidence against them and immediate co-conspirators.
Wheeler reviews the state of several investigations against a team of Oathkeepers in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6. Some of their planning they shared over social media and in texts. Whoops again.
[h/t DC]