Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
A new investigation by the Sun-Times, WBEZ and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project looks into the records of Chicago cops on a leaked roster of the Oath Keepers.
Below, we detail the extremist group’s history, as part of out ongoing series, ”Extremism in the ranks.” 👇
Plus, we’ve got the community news you need to know this afternoon.
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Who are the Oath Keepers?
Reporting by Tom Schuba and Dan Mihalopoulos
Story begins before Jan. 6: Most Americans hadn’t heard of the Oath Keepers before the attack on the U.S. Capitol, when founder Stewart Rhodes and other members plotted to keep then-President Donald Trump in power. But for those who have followed the Oath Keepers’ path to becoming one of the nation’s largest anti-government groups, there were clear warning signs leading to that day.
Born from Obama backlash: Rhodes started the Oath Keepers in 2009, stoking conspiratorial fears of elites trampling Americans’ rights after Barack Obama was elected president. A Yale-educated lawyer and former Army paratrooper, Rhodes aggressively recruited servicemen, cops and first responders to join his crusade against perceived government overreach. Oath Keepers are urged to disregard official orders the group has deemed unlawful and believes could lead to tyrannical rule, like seizing guns and imposing martial law.
Warning signs: The launch of the Oath Keepers was followed by a series of alarming arrests. Perhaps most notably, an Oath Keeper from Georgia was convicted in a 2010 plot to take over a Tennessee courthouse and detain officials. In 2014, the group’s focus shifted to an armed standoff with federal authorities at a ranch in Nevada, which raised its profile but also led to criminal charges against members of the group.
Role in insurrection: The Oath Keepers backed Donald Trump as he and his allies spent months claiming the 2020 election had been stolen. Rhodes and his allies recruited members, organized paramilitary training and set up teams to shuttle guns from a Virginia hotel to the nation’s capital, though the weapons were never delivered. The plot culminated with some followers attacking the Capitol to stop Congress from confirming President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
Future of group in question: Dozens of Oath Keepers and affiliates have now been charged with federal crimes, along with members of other extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Three Percenters. Rhodes is among the defendants already convicted of seditious conspiracy for orchestrating the attack. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Federal prosecutors have since appealed, seeking a longer sentence. Other Oath Keepers have cooperated with federal authorities as the group’s future hangs in the balance.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- Will surfaces in unclaimed estate saga: There’s a turn in the mysterious story of the late Joseph Stancak, a frugal, secretly wealthy Southwest Side recluse who left a record-setting unclaimed estate valued at $11 million. A will has surfaced in a Cook County court that’s thrown a wrench into the gears of the inheritance process for Stancak’s estate, putting a hold on plans to split the money among 119 distant relatives around the globe.
- Child fatally shot: Damien Green, 12, was walking to his grandmother’s home in Englewood with his older brother when someone in a passing car opened fire and killed the boy, family said. At least seven children 13 and younger have been the victims of homicide in Chicago this year.
- Illinois tollway may change gears: The Illinois tollway is considering shifting from hard-case transponders to stickers come 2024. Tollway officials say the issue will likely come up during a board meeting Thursday.
- Construction at former Chicago Spire site: Developer Related Midwest plans to begin building the first of two towers at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive by December. A financing deal for the first building sets aside 635 units for low-income renters.
- UAW strike expands: The United Auto Workers union has escalated its strikes against big Detroit automakers, this time adding a factory that makes Ram pickup trucks for Stellantis in Sterling Heights, Michigan.
- Could guaranteed income program return? Mayor Brandon Johnson said recently that he would like to bring back a version of the Chicago Resilient Communities pilot, a program that provided direct cash assistance to 5,000 Chicago residents in the aftermath of the pandemic.
SUN-TIMES STAFF SUGGESTS 🫖
Take a sip at Gallery Cafe
I talked with my colleague Mary Norkol, general assignment reporter here at the Sun-Times, who suggests stopping by her favorite spot for a pick-me-up, Gallery Cafe.
Mary says that when she moved to an apartment in West Town, she set out to find a solid place for all her caffeine needs — leading her to stumble on Gallery Cafe. It’s a place that, “hugged me as soon as I walked in, with the sputter of the espresso machine chirping hello and bright artwork on the walls guiding me inside,” Mary says.
“And then I tried the coffee. Consider me sold,” Mary says.
Why you should go: “This spot is the definition of a local watering hole,” Mary tells me. “Local artists are featured on the walls, and prints are for sale in a rack by the counter. Last year, I bought a print and ended up running into the artist at a street fair later that summer. Chicago is a small town, as they say.”
What to order: “The Spicy Bob Ross (no bacon for me) has my heart, and not just because of the quirky, fun name,” Mary says. “I’m not usually one to stick to just one menu item, but this one has become my go-to.”
📍Gallery Cafe, 1760 W. North Ave.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Beautiful Lives Project teams up with UIC women’s basketball for Court of Dreams event
Reporting by Annie Costabile
University of Illinois Chicago’s athletic center on Roosevelt Road was buzzing Thursday afternoon as the sound of basketballs bouncing off the hardwood blended with the laughter of more than 50 people participating in the “Court of Dreams” event organized by Bryce Weiler and the Beautiful Lives Project.
Weiler’s mission is simple: to provide adults and kids with disabilities across the country an opportunity to experience sports, art and wellness.
“We do more than just sports,” said Weiler, 32, who grew up in downstate Claremont. “Any time Beautiful Lives Project has an event, whether its sports or art, it’s allowing those who may not have opportunities to create lifelong friendships.”
Weiler, who has been blind since birth as a result of a condition called retinopathy, co-founded the Beautiful Lives Project in 2017 with Anthony Iacovone, former owner of the New Britain Bees, a Futures Collegiate Baseball League team in Connecticut.
What started with an email to Iacovone has turned into six years’ worth of immersive events across the country.
“The takeaway from today is I’m going to want to come back and do this again,” said Keith, a 19-year-old participant. “It was so awesome to come out and get the exercise. Plus, I love basketball.”
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Editor: Satchel Price
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
