From New York Times, I'm Michael Bavaro. This is a Daily.

In a landmark verdict a few days ago, a jury convicted the leader of a right-wing militia

group of sedition for his role in the January 6th assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Today, I speak with my colleague Alan Feuer about how federal prosecutors made their case

and what the verdict tells us about just how organized the attack really was.

It's Thursday, December 1st.

Alan, pretty much from the moment of January 6th assault on the Capitol, you have been covering

the U.S. government's efforts to track down and prosecute as many of those as possible

who carried out the actual attack.

Why did this case, this trial of steward roads and the organization he runs, Oathkeepers,

why did it matter so much?

Well, I mean, look, you're absolutely right, Michael. There have been a lot of cases stemming

from January 6th, but the Oathkeepers were absolutely central to what unfolded at the

Capitol that day.

And the charge is that steward roads and for other members of the Oathkeepers were facing

in this case, these were the most serious out of any of the 900 criminal cases that the

Justice Department has brought so far.

In fact, this case was the first time that a jury was asked to consider the charge of

seditious conspiracy and explain that charge.

I mean, it sounds very serious, but just on a technical level, what that means.

Sure.

Well, first of all, just as a baseline, it's not a small time charge, right?

...