Judge Reluctantly Drops Capitol Charges | Dayton News

Dayton News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 5, 2026 · 1m

A federal judge reluctantly dropped criminal charges against eight Oath Keepers linked to the Capitol riot, despite strongly disagreeing with the move—he called it a disservice to justice and democracy. Forced by Justice Department orders, he couldn’t override prosecutorial authority, even though some defendants had already been convicted of seditious conspiracy. His scathing opinion warned the dismissal downplayed the riot’s gravity and undermined law enforcement, echoing similar decisions against Proud Boys leaders. This marks the final chapter in Capitol riot prosecutions—and raises urgent…