A federal judge who oversaw the seditious conspiracy trial of Oath Keepers led by Stewart Rhodes issued a bleak warning.

Stewart Rhodes, who founded the far-right anti-government military group the Oath Keepers, was sentenced to 18 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of seditious conspiracy for orchestrating an attack culminating in a violent attempt to overturn Donald Trump ’s election loss.

The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved of his actions is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta argued that President-elect Donald Trump would be putting democracy at risk if he pardons Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes for crimes committed on Jan. 6, 2021. "The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country,