Capitol riots: Militia group linked to Michael Flynn changes name as leader was subpoenaed by House Committee

The House Committee has subpoenaed significant individuals to further find out the facts of what led to the Capitol insurrection in January. A far-right militia group linked to the twice-impeached former president's former national security adviser changed its name at the last minute before its leader was subpoenaed by the panel.

The Daily Beast reported over the weekend that the far-right militia group 1st Amendment Praetorian had undergone a rebranding. The group claims to be an "Intelligence, investigations, security, and support firm" called The Shepherd Group. The group is known to have provided bodyguards to Flynn and other conspiracy theorists loyal to Donald Trump.

"Between Nov 1 and Nov 19, multiple social media accounts associated with a California-based company calling itself 'The Shepherd Group' went live as did a website hawking its 'holistic, boutique approach' to digital forensics, physical security, surveillance/counter-surveillance, and corporate intelligence,'" according to the outlet.

"But a little digging reveals that the Shepherd Group is not entirely new: rather, it appears to be a front for another militant group 1st Amendment Praetorian, previously a volunteer nonprofit that has deployed its self-described force of former armed forces and police personnel as security for right-wing leaders and events."

This follows the news that the group's leader, Robert Patrick Lewis, was already subpoenaed by the House Committee on November 23. Lewis is listed as the CEO of the Shepherd Group on LinkedIn. The militant group accompanied a pro-Trump rally at the Freedom Plaza in DC, with Lewis reportedly communicating with Flynn and "Stop the Steal" rally organizer Ali Alexander before the insurrection occurred.

The former president has also sought to derail the House Committee by suing the National Archives in an attempt to block records of his White House from being turned over to the panel. Trump's attempts have been unsuccessful so far, with the DC Appeals court ruling in favor of the House Committee and the Archives. According to Washington Post reporter Carol Leonnig, the rejection of the Appeals Court to the former president is "pretty huge."

"They do not move with this kind of alacrity, which is essential in judicial speak, a smack back in the face of the plaintiffs in this case, against the president, former president, and his lawyers. They're basically saying, you've got nothing here. And legally, they don't," said Leonnig.