WASHINGTON (AP) – A man who authorities say is a leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group, helped organize a group of other extremists and led them to attack last month at the U.S. Capitol has maintained a top-secret security clearance for decades and previously worked for the FBI, his attorney said Monday.
Thomas Caldwell, who authorities believe plays a leading role in the extremist group, worked as section chief of the FBI from 2009 to 2010 after retiring from the Navy, his lawyer, Thomas Plofchan, write in a motion urging the judge to release him. prison while awaiting trial.
The defense said Caldwell, who has denied being on guard at the oath, has maintained a top-secret security clearance since 1979, which required multiple special investigations, according to Plofchan. Caldwell also ran a consulting firm that did classified work for the U.S. government, the lawyer said.
“He has been reviewed and found numerous times as a person worthy of the trust of the United States government, as indicated by granting him top-secret authorizations,” Plofchan wrote.
Most FBI section chiefs rise through the ranks of the office and it is unclear whether Caldwell would have been hired directly for that position or whether he would hold any other position in the office. The FBI did not comment immediately Monday evening and Caldwell’s attorney did not immediately answer questions about his client’s work.
Caldwell is one of three people the authorities have described as Oath Keepers who were charged last month with conspiracy and charged with plotting the attack on the Capitol in advance. He has been locked up since his arrest at his home in Berryville, Virginia, on January 19th.
Caldwell’s lawyer said he denies ever entering the Capitol and has “physical limitations” that would prevent the 66-year-old from being forced into any building.
Caldwell’s lawyer said his client retired as a lieutenant commander of the Navy and was a “100% disabled veteran.” Caldwell suffered complications related to a “service-related injury,” including shoulder, back and knee problems, the lawyer said. In 2010, Caldwell had spine surgery, which subsequently failed and resulted in chronic spine problems and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the court filing.
Upload documents show messages between Caldwell and others about the arrangement of hotel rooms in the Washington area in the days leading up to the siege. In a Facebook message sent to Caldwell, one of the others says, “I’ll probably call you tomorrow … mostly because … I like to know it’s the wtf plan. You’re the COMMANDER man.”
Authorities say security guards communicated during the attack about where lawmakers were. At one point during the siege, Caldwell received a message saying “all members are in the tunnels under the capital,” according to court documents. “Seal them in turn with gas,” he said.
Other messages said, “Tom all lawmakers are on the floors of tunnels 3 down” and “go through the doors of the house chamber facing left down the hallway,” according to court document.
Caldwell is one of approximately 200 people charged so far with the siege for federal crimes such as congressional disorder, disorderly conduct and assault. A special group of prosecutors is weighing the possibility of filing charges of sedition, officials have reported.
Several members of the Proud Boys, a sexist far-right extremist group that took over the Trump administration’s policies, have also been charged with conspiracy. and accused of working together during the siege.
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Richer reported from Boston.