Suspected oath guard indicted in the Capitol riot says he once worked for the FBI and has security clearance



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Caldwell, 65, raised the resume points in a new case arguing for his release from prison after the Department of Justice convinced a judge he should be detained pending trial.

Caldwell’s defense attorney wrote in Monday’s filing that Caldwell “has held a Top Secret security clearance since 1979 and has been the subject of several special background inquiries to support his clearance.”

CNN contacted the FBI, who did not immediately comment.

The Justice Department has yet to respond and is expected to respond to Caldwell’s request in court later this week.

It comes as several defendants of the Capitol riot in federal court have challenged the judges’ detention orders or seen the Justice Department press for their detention, and federal investigators are working on bigger cases against the judges. right-wing paramilitary political activists and extremist groups, including the Oath Keepers. , which Caldwell is allegedly linked to, according to his indictment.

Caldwell previously said in court proceedings that he was a veteran, and reiterated it to the judge in Washington, DC on Monday. Caldwell’s defense attorney, on file, also denied he was an oath keeper and argues prosecutors have no evidence that he was in the Capitol building on January 6.

In the days leading up to the riot, Caldwell wrote on Facebook in response to an alleged call to action among the group: “I have sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all foreign enemies. and nationals. I did the former, I did the latter peacefully, but they turned into sheer evil, even blatantly rigging an election and paying the political caste. We must strike them now and bring them down “, according to his indictment, where he is named alongside two paramilitary groups.

He also wrote about the “night hunt” in Washington and the “Oath Keeper friends in North Carolina,” prosecutors said. He is charged by the grand jury with conspiracy, destruction of government property, entry into the Capitol building and obstructing formal proceedings, referring to the session of Congress to certify Joe’s election Biden for the presidency.

During the siege, prosecutors allege Caldwell wrote “Inside” via Facebook. They also say he took selfies on a balcony around the perimeter of the Capitol.

At his previous detention hearing, the judge called his alleged actions on January 6 “pure anarchy”.

CNN’s Christina Carrega contributed to this report.

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