Republican Rep. Clampitt says he's been an Oath Keeper since 2014

A news report released this month showed a Western North Carolina state representative is a member of one of the largest anti-government groups in the country. Republican Mike Clampitt told BPR that he wasn't trying to hide his affiliation: Clampitt doesn't see what was newsworthy about his name on a list of members of the Oath Keepers. "No, it's not new information. I feel like it's been very open and out there," said Clampitt. He's been an open member since 2014. Non-profit news organization ProPublica released a hacked list of Oath Keepers , an organization defined as mostly former police, firefighters and military who pledge their allegiance to the constitution - with a focus on anti-government overreach. The list included some of those arrested in the Jan. 6 th insurrection along with Clampitt and North Carolina House deputy majority whip Keith Kidwell. Clampitt says the Oath Keepers have sworn to uphold the constitution - even when that doesn't align with federal law. "If you