On Sunday’s episode of The Excerpt podcast, USA TODAY National Correspondent and Extremism Reporter, Will Carless, discusses the events leading up to the January 6th, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump. Carless focuses on the story of Stewart Rhodes, a Yale-educated attorney and former Army paratrooper who founded the far-right anti-government militia called the Oath Keepers in 2009.
Carless shares insights from his conversations with Stewart Rhodes’s family, including his ex-wife, Tasha Adams, and his son, Dakota Adams. Tasha Adams describes the deteriorating relationship with Stewart Rhodes, citing his abusive behavior and megalomaniacal nature. Dakota Adams expresses concerns about his father’s mental state and fears for his family’s safety if Stewart Rhodes is released from prison, particularly if Donald Trump were to pardon him.
Rhodes was charged with seditious conspiracy in relation to the January 6th insurrection and is currently serving time in federal prison. Tasha Adams and Dakota Adams fear that he may seek revenge on them if he is released. Despite Rhodes’s attorneys denying the claims made by the family, there are concerns about the potential for a pardon from former President Trump, who has expressed sympathetic views towards the individuals convicted for their roles in the Capitol attack.
The episode sheds light on the personal struggles and safety concerns faced by Stewart Rhodes’s family amidst his involvement in the Oath Keepers and the Capitol attack, highlighting the lasting impact of extremist ideologies and the potential implications of political pardons.
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