From law enforcement to a sitting state senator, nearly 300 New Hampshire names appear in Oath Keepers database
New Hampshire towns from the Seacoast to the North Country to the Monadnock region are represented in the database. Manchester, Salem, Nashua and Weare are home to the most names on the list. (William Campbell/Corbis Via Getty Images /
Corbis Historical)
The names of nearly 300 New Hampshire residents – including members of law enforcement, a sitting Republican state senator, former lawmakers, local elected officials, and military personnel – appear in a database of alleged members of the Oath Keepers militia, though the extent of their ongoing involvement is not detailed.
The hacked membership list, which NHPR obtained through a whistleblower group, offers a detailed look at how political extremism and calls for political violence have attracted residents of New Hampshire in positions of power, in addition to a range of other citizens.
NHPR has confirmed, after speaking individually with them, that at least two current police officers were at one point involved in the Oath Keepers. Another certified officer whose name and cell phone number appear in the leaked database denied his involvement when contacted by NHPR. Nothing in state law appears to prohibit an officer from joining an extremist group, though an officer’s conduct or actions can lead to a suspension or decertification.
In addition, the names of local lawyers, business owners, a cemetery trustee and a martial arts instructor appear in the database. At least 18 residents whose names appear in the membership data appear to have campaigned for state or federal office in New Hampshire, based on election records.
READ: How NHPR reported on the Oath Keepers
About a dozen residents whose names are in the leaked Oath Keepers dataset appear to have served in local government, including on select boards, according to a review of records by NHPR.
A “loosely organized militia”
The Oath Keepers are labeled as a “large but loosely organized militia” by the U.S. Department of Justice. The group is rooted in conspiracy theories, including the belief that the federal government could force American citizens into concentration camps. Founded in 2009, the Oath Keepers held one of its first public events in Lexington, Mass.
Since its founding, the Oath Keepers have sought to recruit members of the military and law enforcement, but have also permitted anyone who paid annual dues to formally join the group.
Members have been active in both armed standoffs with the government, as well as an incendiary presence at racial justice protests across the country in recent years.
Stewart Rhodes, the group’s leader, was arrested earlier this year on charges of seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. At least 20 other members of the group have also been charged for their conduct in the riot.
The group’s membership data was hacked by an unknown source and then distributed to media outlets, including NHPR, by DDoSecrets Collective, a whistleblower group. The records do not include details about when many of the members first joined the Oath Keepers, when they may have ended their membership, or how involved they may have been with the organization.
Who are the New Hampshire-related names on the list?
The database contains the names of at least 297 people with ties to New Hampshire, including State Sen. Bob Giuda, a Republican from Warren, who confirmed his previous involvement with the group to NHPR. Deputy Craig Charest of the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office confirmed his previous membership with the Oath Keepers, as did Officer Scott Young, former chief of police in Strafford who now works with the Barrington Police Department. All three said they severed their ties with the Oath Keepers years ago.