Commuted Jan. 6 Defendants Barred by Judge From Entering Washington Without Permission

At least one of the defendants had been in Washington since being pardoned.

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes talks to reporters after meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 22, 2025. Nathan Ellgren/AP Photo

A federal judge on Jan. 24 barred Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and seven others from entering Washington without the court’s approval, just days after Rhodes visited Capitol Hill.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in a one-page order amended the conditions of supervised release for eight members of the Oath Keepers who were convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

“You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court,” Mehta wrote.

“You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square. ... without first obtaining the permission from the Court.”

President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, shortly after taking office, commuted the sentences of Rhodes and 13 others. Trump also issued pardons for 1,500 additional Jan. 6 defendants.

James Lee Bright, an attorney who defended Rhodes at trial, said on Jan. 24 that he’s concerned that criticism of the pardons from judges on Washington’s federal court means that his client and others on supervised release will be monitored “with a very heavy hand.”

After his sentence was commuted, Rhodes was subsequently released from federal prison in Maryland, in which he was serving an 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy and other crimes.

Rhodes traveled on Jan. 22 to Capitol Hill, where he met with at least one lawmaker.

“I have a right to free speech, and I’m here on official business,” he told reporters after a staffer told him that he was being disrespectful by being in the Capitol.

Rhodes did not enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but members of his group did.

“I was in command of my guys, and my guys screwed up,” Rhodes said. “If I‘d have been with them, I’d have said don’t go inside the Capitol. But I don’t believe they committed any crimes, at most trespass. But they went inside to help police officers.”

Rhodes said he was in Washington to advocate the release of another Jan. 6 defendant. He said he was grateful that his sentence was commuted and that he would be asking Trump for a full pardon.

Mehta this week also removed the requirement that several others who were convicted with Rhodes be confined to their homes. He also granted the return of one of the convicted people’s passports.

Democrats have criticized Trump for issuing the commutations and pardons.

Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that the actions were “an assault on the rule of law, an insult to the brave men and women in law enforcement, and an effort to whitewash the darkest day in American democracy.”

Trump said on Fox News that he pardoned people, including people convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers, because they were treated badly.

“Most of the people were absolutely innocent,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.