ground in the DC area.[180] On December 21st, 2020, Joshua James messaged the group, stating, "SE region is creating a NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION FOR DC JAN 6TH. . . . 4 states are mobilizing[.]"[181] Meggs, Rhodes, and others created several different chat groups to coordinate for January 6th.[182]
On December 22nd, Meggs echoed President Trump's tweet in a Facebook message to someone else:
Trump said It's gonna be wild!!!!!!! It's gonna be wild!!!!!!! He wants us to make it WILD that's what he's saying. He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild!!! Sir Yes Sir!!! Gentlemen we are heading to DC pack your shit!!"[183]
Meggs also wrote that the Oath Keepers would have 50–100 members in Washington, DC on January 6th.[184]
The Oath Keepers hosted periodic group video meetings to discuss plans for January 6th. Richard Dockery, a former Oath Keepers member, testified to the Select Committee about a video call that took place around December 31st, and related specifically to planning for January 6th.[185] During the call, Oath Keepers' leadership announced plans to provide security for far-right celebrities like Roger Stone.[186] If there were any problems while they were providing security, "there was a quick reaction force in Virginia that would come help them out . . . and that they would have firearms."[187]
Rhodes announced during an episode of InfoWars in November 2020 that the Oath Keepers had established a "Quick Reaction Force" (QRF) outside of Washington, DC.[188] After President Trump announced the "wild" protest, the group's advanced coordination largely focused on planning related to their QRF, as well as the various security details for VIPs and stage areas on January 5th and 6th.[189] Oath Keepers from North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, and Arizona converged on the Comfort Inn in Ballston, Virginia, and used the location to store their cache of weapons for January 6th.[190] Oath Keepers leaders communicated actively about the QRF for January 6th.[191] Rhodes and another contingent of Oath Keepers stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Vienna, Virginia, and stored weapons there as well.[192]
Rhodes amassed an arsenal of military-grade assault weapons and equipment in the days leading up to January 6th. On December 30th, Rhodes spent approximately $7,000 on two night-vision devices and a weapon sight and shipped them to Marsha Lessard, a rally organizer who lived near Washington, DC and who had previously been in contact with the organizers of the Ellipse rally.[193] On January 1st and 2nd, Rhodes purchased additional weapons and accessories at a cost of approximately $5,000.[194] The following day, January 3rd, Rhodes and Kellye SoRelle departed Texas for Washington, DC. While traveling, Rhodes spent an additional $6,000 on
