Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel
CLARK COUNTY — Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel said he’s not a member of a far-right, anti-government group known as the Oath Keepers.
“I’m not now and have never been associated with this group,” Noel said in a statement to the News and Tribune on Monday. “I didn’t even know there was a group called the Oath Keepers until I read about it in the news.” Noel’s name is one of six Indiana elected officials that appeared on a membership list for the group. The Anti-Defamation League compiled the list of more than 38,000 people who allegedly signed up for information about the Oath Keepers. Those names were leaked after a data breach.
On its website the Anti-Defamation League stressed that just because someone’s on the list it doesn’t mean they’re in any way associated with the extremist group.
“An individual’s inclusion in the Oath Keeper database is not proof that they were or are still an Oath Keeper, that they hold or held all or some of Oath Keeper ideology or viewpoints, or that they ever actively participated in Oath Keeper activities,” the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement on its website.
According to the ADL’s website, 696 Hoosiers have signed up for the membership list for the Oath Keepers. The group is accused of playing a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In response to questions about the accuracy of the names listed, an ADL spokesperson said the organization stands by its research and reporting.
“We have sought to confirm every elected official or 2022 candidate included in the final total, based on public reporting, public statements made by the individual in question, or by comparing the information provided to the Oath Keepers with the official’s public filings, public records, or online posts containing phone numbers, email addresses, or physical addresses,” an ADL spokesperson said in an email response.
“We take all concerns and our reporting seriously, and strive only for accuracy and truthfulness. Our reporting was based on the information and evidence uncovered through thorough research we conducted at the time.”
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