'Wants us to make it wild!': Watchdog says 174 Jan. 6 defendants claimed Trump incited them

A study by watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) found that at least 174 people charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack say then-President Donald Trump incited them.

CREW examined letters to federal judges, court filings, and "appeals to the public" to determine which defendants said they were answering Trump's call to join the violent attacks. In all, 174 people from 37 states said they acted at the behest of Trump.

The group pointed to the reaction of Kelly Meggs, a member of the Oath Keepers, after Trump used Twitter to call his supporters to the Capitol.

Meggs said he saw the tweet as "marching orders" from Trump.

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"He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild!!! Sir Yes Sir!!! Gentlemen we are heading to DC pack your s--t!!" he wrote.

"[W]e’re going back to Washington January 6th," another defendant wrote in a Facebook message. "Trump has called all patriots. If the electors don't elect, we will be forced into civil war."

CREW focused on Oath Keepers and Proud Boys members because "[b]oth groups have a history of violence and intimidation, and it was apparent that both groups prepared for violence to occur on January 6th."

"CREW's analysis bolsters the evidence that January 6th was the result of organized efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to halt the certification of a free and fair election by force," the group concluded. "Protecting our democracy means preventing those who tried to overthrow our government on January 6th from trying to lead it. This is not merely a policy preference; it is a constitutional imperative."

Read the entire report here.