Oath Keepers member testifies group was preparing “if need be … to take up arms and fight back” on Jan. 6

Washington — A member of the far-right Oath Keepers told a jury on Tuesday that he traveled to Washington, D.C., and stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying President Biden’s election win. 

“I threw my rifle and pistol in the car…and ultimately ended up on the steps of the Capitol, moving into the Capitol building, to try and stop Congress from certifying [Biden’s presidency],” Jason Dolan testified during the trial of five Oath Keepers — including founder Stewart Rhodes — who stand accused of conspiring to use force to stop the peaceful transfer of power. 

Dolan, a former member of the militia group’s Florida contingent, was called as a government witness after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstructing Congress’ work, admitting to entering the Capitol and being part of the mob that drove members of Congress from performing their duty. As part of his plea deal, Dolan agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into the breach, including in cases that deal directly with those whom he once called fellow group members. 

“I helped coordinate. I helped plan,” Dolan admitted on the stand Tuesday, “I talked about my desire and I guess wanting to stop what I saw as an illegitimate government … [from] taking power.” 

The admitted rioter-turned-government witness offered new insight into the planning, coordination, and motivation behind the Oath Keepers’ alleged participation in the Jan. 6 attack. Rhodes and codefendants Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins and Thomas Caldwell are accused of spearheading that fight. All have pleaded not guilty and their defense attorneys maintain their clients were in Washington, D.C. to serve as security and emergency responders that day. 

Dolan did not meet the group’s leader until after the attack. But he testified that Rhodes spoke of the need to take action should then-President Donald Trump invoke a centuries-old law known as the Insurrection Act and call on the Oath Keepers to join his fight to stay in power. And if Trump failed them, Dolan testified, the group was prepared to take matters into their own hands. 

They had to be “willing…