<\/p>\n
Nov. 4 (UPI) \u2014<\/span> Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes III defended the actions of his right-wing militia as he testified Friday during his seditious conspiracy criminal trial.<\/p>\n Rhodes claimed President Biden\u2019s lawful certification as the winner of the election was \u201cinvalid\u201d as he sought to justify the group\u2019s actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.\n<\/p>\n \u201cYou really can\u2019t have a winner of an unconstitutional election,\u201d Rhodes testified.<\/p>\n He claimed under questioning from his defense attorney that the organization\u2019s post-election actions have been mischaracterized. He will continue testifying in his own defense Monday.\n<\/p>\n Rhodes and 10 other members of the Oath Keepers right-wing militia are charged with conspiring to physically stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power and obstructing an official proceeding. They came to support the pro-Trump violent mob of insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol.<\/p>\n In a recording of Rhodes made Jan. 10, 2021, he said, \u201cWe should have brought rifles. We could have fixed it right then and there.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said he would \u201chang\u201d House Speaker Nancy Pelosi \u201cfrom the lamppost.\u201d\n<\/p>\n The indictment alleged that the defendants, organized into teams wearing military gear, breached and attempted to take control of the Capitol on Jan. 6.\n<\/p>\n According to government evidence in legal filings, the Oath Keepers were prepared to use force against Congress and they brought guns and ammunition stashed for possible use in Virginia near Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n On Tuesday the Department of Justice played recordings of Rhodes encouraging members of the group.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not getting out of this without a fight. There\u2019s going to be a fight,\u201d Rhodes said in the recordings. \u201cBut let\u2019s just do it smart and let\u2019s do it while President Trump is still commander in chief.\u201d<\/p>\n As the capitol was overrun by a violent mob on Jan. 6, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence fled for their lives. Certification of the 2020 presidential election was delayed by the violence.<\/p>\n Two Oath Keepers members have pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding.<\/p>\n