Judge agrees to drop final case against Oath Keepers on Jan. 6 : NPR

Key Points:

• A federal judge dismissed the seditious conspiracy case against Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, and other key members after the Justice Department moved to drop the prosecution, despite their prior convictions for attempting to overthrow the government during the January 6 Capitol riot.
• Judge Amit Mehta criticized the dismissal, stating it diminishes the gravity of the Capitol attack and undermines the work of prosecutors and law enforcement who secured convictions related to the assault on the peaceful transfer of power.
• Stewart Rhodes' lawyer condemned the charges as a "thought crime," while former President Trump has continued to support the rioters, proposing taxpayer compensation that has faced bipartisan resistance in Congress.
• The case's collapse coincided with testimony from former federal prosecutors urging the Senate to reject Trump's judicial nominees who deny the January 6 violence or refuse to acknowledge the 2020 election outcome.
• Senate Democrats criticized judicial nominees for evading questions about the 2020 election, warning that such refusals raise concerns about their independence and commitment to justice, while the Republican-led Senate has confirmed most of Trump's lifetime judicial appointments.