Mark Grods is the third member of the Oath Keepers to plead guilty to conspiracy charges and agree to cooperate with the investigation. You can read his statement of information, stating what he will plead guilty to and facts supporting those charges that he is admitting, HERE.
- Grods admits that he was part of a conspiracy against the United States and that the “purpose of the conspiracy was to stop, delay, and hinder the Certification of the Electoral College vote.”
- He admits to “attending or scheduling trainings to teach and learn paramilitary combat tactics in advance of the January 6 operation.”
- He admits to “bringing and contributing paramilitary gear and supplies — INCLUDING FIREARMS, camouflaged combat uniforms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, eye protection, and radio equipment — for the January 6 operation.”
- He admits to “FORCIBLY storming past exterior barricades, Capitol Police, and other law enforcement officers.”
- He admits that he “BROUGHT FIREARMS to Washington, D.C., and eventually provided them to another individual to store in a Virginia hotel.”
Note about this last one. Other charging documents from the government allege that the Oath Keeper plot including having a heavily armed “QRF” (quick reaction force) that would bring heavy weapons into the Capitol once Trump deputized them by invoking the Insurrection Act and calling forth a citizen’s militia (that would be them). None of those in those who stayed in this hotel with the QRF have been arrested yet. They will be.
- Grods admits that he entered the Capitol with a large stick, along with others, “assaulted law enforcement officers in the Rotunda.”
Keep in mind, that these are all things he is effectively confessing to. You can bet the specifics of this stuff form the basis for this cooperation agreement. The statement of information references many others Grods worked with that it describes as “known and unknown.” His cooperation will help secure more indictments.
Edit & Update
I have a major additional development in this story about Mark Grods. He was arrested and charged only TODAY. He does not appear, at least by name, in any of the prior Oath Keeper indictments.
The statement of information, linked above, and plea agreement was filed with the court only on Monday, and under seal. This was so he could testify to a grand jury (probably yesterday) before the Oath Keepers knew he was cooperating.
So what does this mean? It means the DOJ played this real smart and real close to the chest. It means Grods has been cooperating with the DOJ for a LONG time. By long I mean at least weeks. In that time the terms for the plea deal were worked out and he spilled his guts to the DOJ. All of them. He then testified to the grand jury earlier this week. That means more indictments will be coming based (in part) on his testimony. I suspect a lot of them.
Oath Keepers had no idea this guy was really on the DOJ’s radar until today. I have figured out that he is identified as “Person Fifteen” in this charging document for 16 other Oath Keepers.
He could well be one of the guys that fake newser Tucker Carlson claimed was an FBI agent. He’s not. He’s now convicted.
There is a very real chance that Grods was in communication with other conspirators while he was cooperating with DOJ, and just turning it over to the government.
