In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Stewart Rhodes, leader of the anti-government Oath Keeper militia, was in Conroe, Texas interviewing local residents about their hurricane relief efforts. Rhodes and Alex Oakes of the Oath Keepers wore T-shirts and caps advertising the group's motto "Oath Keepers: Patriotism and the Edge of Violence in a Right-Wing Antigovernment Group." Residents were impressed by the Oath Keepers' willingness to help and the group was able to quickly build trust with locals. Since the group's leaders were arrested and convicted for their involvement in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Oath Keepers have retreated from the public sphere, but they may be reactivating soon as they attempt to ride the coattails of disaster preparation and relief work into the mainstream.
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