Pro-Constitution group founder: Hang McCain 'until dead'

The founder of the pro-Constitution organization Oath Keepers last week said U.S. Sen. John McCain should be tried for treason, convicted and "hung by the neck until dead."

Stewart Rhodes was recorded making the remarks about McCain, R-Ariz., in a video released by the liberal People For the American Way's Right Wing Watch project. Rhodes was speaking at the Arizona Liberty Caucus' May 5 "Liberty On Tap" event at the Thirsty Lion Gastropub & Grill at Tempe Marketplace.

Arizona Senate President Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, was the featured speaker at the event, invited to discuss the "dangers of an Article V Constitutional Convention." Former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack, a Second Amendment activist, also spoke.

In the video, Rhodes calls McCain a traitor to the Constitution.

"He would deny you the right for trial to jury, but we will give him a trial for jury, and then after we convict him, he should be hung by the neck until dead," Rhodes said.

Brian Rogers, a McCain spokesman, said McCain had no comment.

The Oath Keepers group has been described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an "anti-government 'Patriot' group" and an "organization that encourages police officers and soldiers to disobey orders that may be unconstitutional." However, a member of the group in Arizona described it to The Arizona Republic as pro-Constitution and anti-government-corruption, not "anti-government."

The group's website describes it as "a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders who pledge to fulfill the oath all military and police take to 'defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'"

Biggs told The Republic he was the first speaker on the program and spoke for 30 minutes to 35 minutes. A panel was invited to talk about the need for a constitutional convention and Biggs was invited because he has written a book outlining his objections to such a convention.

He said he didn't know who or what the Oath Keepers are, initially confusing them with "Promise Keepers," a ministry for men. He added that he did not know Rhodes, and thought he was being invited by "an Arizona liberty group."

Biggs said he doesn't agree with Rhodes' comments, but said he didn't feel it was his place to speak up and denounce him.

"Good grief! Stop it with your free-speech rights," he said, imagining what he could have said to Rhodes.

He said he wasn't sure when Rhodes made his inflammatory comments but, "Your ears perk up when someone says something like that."

Republic reporter Mary Jo Pitzl contributed to this article.