A prominent former special FBI agent, who worked in counter-terrorism efforts, testified during the ongoing trial of Alaska State Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla), saying Oath Keepers never intended on overthrowing the federal government on Jan. 6, 2021, nor is the group a threat to national security.
John Guandolo worked for the FBI for more than a dozen years. He was summoned to testify in a lawsuit brought against Eastman by former Republican Randall Kowalke, which aims to disqualify Eastman from public office due to his membership in Oath Keepers.
Kowalke asserts that Eastman should be barred from representing the Mat-Su voters who easily elected him to a fourth term in the State House because Alaska’s Constitution bans individuals from holding public office if they are members of a group that advocates for the violent overthrow of the government.
Eastman has been listed as a “lifetime member” of Oath Keepers since donating $50 to the group back in 2014. Prior to that, he had given two smaller donations, in 2011 and 2010. He has acknowledged that he receives occasional emails from the national organization, but has not attended rallies or conferences organized by the loosely connected organization.
Presiding Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna has ordered the State Division of Elections to delay certifying Eastman’s victory until after the trial.
In Guandolo’s professional estimation, which includes more than a decade of leading counter-terrorism efforts as a FBI special agent, Oath Keepers does not fit the definition of a violent insurrectionist group.
To date, 33 members of the 38,000-strong organization have been charged with crimes associated with Jan. 6. Last month, Oath Keepers’ founder, Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, was convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with Jan. 6 events, as was Kelly Meggs, the leader of the Oath Keepers’ Florida chapter. Three other members were found guilty of lesser felony charges.
Guandolo said he has interacted with hundreds of Oath Keepers through the years, and has no reason to believe they are “anti-government,” or intent on overthrowing lawful authority.
Testifying via Zoom last week, Guandolo said that while a few members of the 38,000-strong Oath Keepers organization may have committed federal crimes on Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol, that does not mean the larger official organization aimed to forcibly overthrow the government.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Goriune Dudukgian has argued that attempting to delay certification on Jan. 6 was an orchestrated attack on the government and hence an attempt to overthrow it. He also claims that Oath Keepers, as an organization, was behind the alleged insurrection.
Guandolo noted that some members of Oath Keepers did appear intent on “delaying” the election certification of President Joe Biden, but that this is a “far cry from overthrowing the U.S. government by force of violence.”
Guandolo said he has interacted with hundreds of Oath Keepers through the years, and has no reason to believe they are “anti-government,” or intent on overthrowing lawful authority.
“They’re anti-tyranny and anti-anything that infringes on the natural rights and constitutional rights of American citizens,” Guandolo testified on Dec. 16.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
He pointed to the group’s by-laws as evidence that its primary aim is to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution, and that this is what all Oath Keepers must affirm.
According to Oath Keepers’ bylaws, “No person who advocates, or has been or is a member, or associated with, any organization, formal or informal, that advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States or the violation of the Constitution thereof, shall be entitled to be a member or associate member.”
Additionally, the organization’s website states that it is comprised of “a group of proud American Patriots who are dedicated to upholding the constitution of the United States. Our members have a long history of service to the United States as military, law enforcement, first responders and service oriented citizens, and continue to serve through community service, volunteer and emergency support.”
The trial will continue at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 19, at the Palmer Courthouse. It is expected to wrap up sometime next week, after Eastman’s attorney Joe Miller calls numerous witnesses to the stand, including Oath Keepers founder Rhodes.
11 Comments
The “judge” may not like that testimony. It probably doesn’t fit within his political, ideological, concepts of the social justice agendas.
This is precisely what the Dems are trying to do to Trump now. To trot out the Constitution to claim he’s not eligible to run. Something that is likely to go straight into the round file in the end. J-6 is not by any stretch an “insurrection”, but a protest. A handful of people entering the Capitol without weapons? But this is a very dangerous precedence they are attempting to start, though.
The “judge” may have to actually do his job. Jack McKenna, it is quite obvious that this case should never have proceeded and you know it. It never had any legal merit, you coward, you oath breaker. Here is the actual evidence, you gonna ignore it too? We all know what you want to do, we know you are evil. You better do the legally correct thing here, wasting our hard earned tax money on this BS case just makes you look as evil as you truly are.
I thank Mr. Guandolo for his excellent testimony in this wrongful political trial.
Nothing in this article provides “evidence” of any kind. This is simply testimony of someone’s impression of a 38,000-member organization as a longtime member. Mr. Guandolo gave no testimony nor proof (Molly, above, implied there was “proof” somewhere in this article) of anything regarding the events on Jan. 6th. The text message history of Stewart Rhodes – the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers – provides a completely different picture of the organization’s intent on January 6th.
Read the bylaws of the Oath Keepers Mike, that should be testimony enough.
Mike may think that an “expert” within the Department of the FBI, who has firsthand knowledge, and access to the security data related to the subject, one who has been in the national security department, and Counter Terrorism efforts… One who has actually interreacted with the Oath Keepers is simply not worth paying attention to. “Ove a dozen years” simply isn’t long enough to understand what’s going on.
Lobo, seems that no matter what kind of solid evidence is presented, it will never be good enough for the left because it does not fit their narrative. They have to keep condemning the one they have chosen to try to bring down. I think that Rep. David Eastman needs to bring a counter lawsuit for destroying his name and current position.
Friend of Humanity,
I agree! Eastman needs to bring in a lawsuit for smearing his name.
The Oath Keepers are American citizens and Patriots. I trust them way more than I trust these so called judges and the plaintiff and lawyer. This is obviously a set-up by those behind this undoubtedly trying to legitimize the false accusations of an insurrection rather than a protest.
Ever since the discovery of the fraud in the 2020 election efforts have been repeatedly made to harass anyone who dared go to the capitol in support of President Trump. These citizens being harassed are the honest trustworthy American citizens who were present to hear President Trump, who by the way is one of the rare leaders who kept his promises to us, the American patriot citizenship in the country. Pelosi and the other swamp creatures in DC and all over the country planned the deception of a so called “insurrection” weeks in advance. Representative Eastman is one of the good guys, and for this he is being harassed and having to pay court costs to the crooked judiciary system that is in place. We are living in a corrupt time period when right is called wrong and wrong is called right.
This unconstitutional judge technically is overthrowing legal government election process by going forward with this and actually should disqualify the judge from public service in doing so. Let’s begin the legal process of ejecting a judge from office. This whole case is good evidence to support such a process.