ICYMI another Oath Keeper Plea Agreement - Mark Grods -Mayflower Update

To be fair this case was completely overshadowed by the Weisselberg and Trump Org indictment but it is still worthy to read because there are serious facts that should be reviewed

June 23rd Background - I said what I said…and had the documents

…because me canz readz goodly - all kidding aside it is not some extraordinary super power or connections with “people in the know”…all you need to do is read the court filings. Also those who know people never use terms like “my people” nor do they publicly name drop or portend to know things they don’t. Real people in DC just shut up and do their job. No those individuals, who really know, know what they know based on documents with facts and casually drop those receipts. Good lord that sentence made my own head hurt.

For Example: On June 23, 2021 -I noted during Graydon Young’s change in plea hearing that there was another Oath Keeper that would likely take a plea too - I actually drilled down on Graydon Young’s signed plea agreement and noted that it sure read like there’s another individual who hasn’t been charged and the possible that person might be awfully chatty…as it turns out…

Oath Keeper Mark Grods took a plea

To be clear I didn’t know the person’s name. I merely read the court documents and said - I think there’s another person who hasn’t been charged and unnamed person might be chatty…because I really do read every word/page of documents I write about.

On June 30, 2021 the Department of Justice announced that Alabama Oath Keeper Mark Grods Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Charges Related to Jan. 6 Capitol Breach - the DOJ-OPA reads in part:

Grods and others in the conspiracy agreed to plan and participate in an operation to interfere with the certification of the electoral college vote on Jan. 6 by coordinating with others in advance, using websites and social media to recruit other participants, and traveling to Washington, D.C. According to his plea, Grods joined an invitation-only encrypted Signal group message titled “DC OP: Jan 6 21” and participated in a four-person online meeting titled “SE leaders dc 1/6/21 op call.”

On Jan. 4, Grods traveled with others to Washington and brought firearms, and eventually provided them to another individual to store in a Virginia hotel.

On Jan. 6, Grods rode with others in a pair of golf carts toward the Capitol, at times swerving around law enforcement vehicles, before parking and continuing toward the Capitol. While walking through the restricted area and toward the Capitol building, Grods moved with others together in a military “stack” formation with hands on the shoulders of those in front of them to communicate and effectively move toward the Capitol.

At 3:21 p.m., Grods entered through the east Rotunda doors while carrying a large stick. At 3:25 p.m., Grods exited the Capitol as law enforcement officers deployed pepper balls at a wall near Grods.

DOJ-OPA link to Grods Criminal Information and to be fair this DOJ-OPA was entirely overshadowed by the Weisselberg and Trump Org indictment.

One of my faithful readers/followers Nancy texted me the criminal information and said something like “hey didn’t you write about this” at the time I replied to her well “it’s a criminal information which means there’s a plea agreement forthcoming so keep your eyes pealed”… and sadly I then totally forgot about this case. Because like everyone else I was fixated on the Trump/Weisselberg

Also I’m going to remind you about this April 2021 article concerning Joshua James and Roberto Minuta notice the golf cart?

Mark Grods and the Conspiracy

As you’ll note on page 3 of the Grods Criminal Information Count One -conspiracy

Golf Carts and the Mayflower Hotel

This is why it is paramount to read the whole document because I think there’s a falsehood in thinking the Comfort Inn was Oath Keepers HQ. Now keep in mind yes Caldwell Watkins et al used that Comfort Inn as a QFD and that’s confirmed by the recent MOERSCHEL case (see page 17) but as to Defendant Grods I now refer you to page 6 of Grods Criminal Information

Paragraphs 23 thru 27 provide a pretty exact timeframe and chain of events. But I’m going to point out that paragraph 26 might be one that you pay attention too because (largely based on reading countless affidavits) I think we are finally inching towards Person One -who has yet to be charged (see March 12 article as to Stewart Rhodes…) and I understand how this can be very confusing to keep all the defendants straight and/or unindicted co-conspirators but in my bones I know that investigators are working diligently to tighten the circle

At, 3:25 p.m., GRODS exited the Capitol as law enforcement officers deployed pepper balls at a wall near GRODS.

Shortly after 4:00 p.m., GRODS and others known and unknown gathered together approximately 100 feet from the Capitol, near the northeast corner of the building

January 8, 2021, another individual instructed GRODS to “make sure that all signal comms about the op has been deleted and burned,” and GRODS confirmed that he had.

—sidebar— I know that there are discussion as to why prosecutors have yet to invoke sedition or insurrection. I genuinely think that prosecutors will (eventually) charge individuals with 18 U.S. Code § 2383 - Rebellion or insurrection because the DOJ needs to send a clear message. But this also means you and I need to exercise patience— which is hard and I struggle with that —so you’re not alone. But if you take the time to carefully read the Court filings —you’ll note that the Prosectors are (ever so slowly) inching their way towards §2383. For Example: this isn’t capricious or arbitrary language —it is precise

Grods Plea Agreement

You can access via DDC-ECF or you can pull it down from my public drive -

On pages 2 and 3 of the Plea Agreement the Level shows (pursuant to US Sentencing Guidelines) that Defendant Grod’s actions qualify for a 27 level which could carry a sentencing of 70 to 87 months ¹. That calculation is factoring his zero criminal history

Moving on to pages 7 & 8 - the Government agrees to offer a 2 level reduction and a 1 level reduction provided that Defendant Grods adheres to the terms and conditions of his plea agreement - this would then reduce him to a level 24 and thus lowers the “estimated” sentencing from 70-87 months to 51 to 63 months in prison…again these are estimated and ultimately the Court has the final say…

The cooperation enumerated on pages 6 and 7 are pretty standard but it is notable that the only Oath Keeper that specifically asked for protection was Jon Schaffer (you can read more on his plea agreement via this April 2021 article)

As for restitution Defendant Grods agreed to pay $2,000.00 of the $1.495M in actual damage to our Capitol Building (see pages 8 and 9 of the Grods Plea Agreement) and yes — this is also the same amount Defendant Young recently agreed to pay - as for Defendant Grods Conditions of Release (DDC-ECF or via my public drive) it is not at all surprising he’s precluded from any contact with the defendant in “co-defendants in docket number 21-cr-28 and anyone associated with Oath Keepers”

So if you’re keep track Defendant Grods is the 3rd Oath Keeper to take a plea

Graydon Young - articles found here

Jon Schaffer - Oath Keepers founding member - pleads guilty and see WitSec subsection of Plea Agreement

Again I’ll never full understand why people overlooked this April USA v Caldwell “yes your honor some of the Defendants have approached about plea offers” -updated - I mean I gave you real time updates because I subjected myself to the hearing.

For now I think you’re fully caught up on the latest Oath Keeper - apologies for overlooking last week’s Defendant Grods case. But I’m only one person and writing articles isn’t my full time job…

The Mayflower Hotel…

Look I get it most people can’t keep all the defendants straight or the tiny details —as noted in Defendant Grod’s Criminal Information and but what you will (or should at least notice) in Defendant Grods Statement of Offense —you won’t find the word Mayflower Hotel —also Defendant Bird’s Statement of Offense. but do you know where you can find Mayfield Hotel? Caldwell et al Fourth Superseding Indictment in that court filing.

As SR4 states (see page 21 —paragraph No 95 & 96) the facts:

• the oath keeper leader Minuta reserved 3 hotel rooms at the Mayflower.

• Room A, B, C nder Minuta, James and person twenty.

• Minuta Paud for a room

• But now we know that Person fifteen is Defendant Grods.

So the question are: Who’s Person Twenty? Who paid for the other 2 rooms. Yes I’m aware a hotel reservation doesn’t equate to x number of rooms being booked. The reason you know that three rooms were booked is in paragraph 96 - which affirmatively states “one of three rooms”

“WALDEN stayed in one of the three rooms at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.”

Defendant Brods Limited Nature of Factual Basis

This proffer of evidence is not intended to constitute a complete statement of all facts known by Mr. Grods or the government. Rather, it is a limited statement of facts intended to provide the minimal necessary factual predicate for Mr. Grods's guilty plea.

Allow me to translate what that means in non-legalese —the Government likely views the information Defendant Grods provided and determined it to be fruitful and thus believe his is a decent cooperator

And now I think you are officially up to speed - yes those tiny details and remember what was previously proffered in other court filings to find the connective tissue - sheeh it’s almost like this is what I’m paid to do from 9-5 LOLs

1. See USSS Guidelines - Table Circa 2016 https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/guidelines-manual/2016/Sentencing_Table.pdf