Press Releases
ICYMI: Watchdog Exposes Right-Wing Special Interests Who Funded Rally Prior to Insurrection
WASHINGTON, DC – New reporting from The Washington Post broke the news that the Justice Department’s criminal investigation of the January 6th attack on the Capitol will expand to examine the preparations preceding the riot – including officials and organizations affiliated with the Trump administration and campaign who assisted in planning, funding and executing the rally that preceded the insurrection. In response, Accountable.US uplifted its “Subsidizing Sedition” campaign, documenting that most of the groups behind the rally have enjoyed the support of some of the right-wing’s biggest backers. From corporations to wealthy family foundations – it’s clear that the heinous attacks were not a spontaneous incident led by random extremists but rather a coordinated effort years in the making by major Republican donors, corporations, and others benefitting from radicalization.
BACKGROUND FROM ACCOUNTABLE.US:
The so-called “March to Save America” was a joint effort by a number of right-wing organizations that receive funding from the conservative movement’s deep-pocketed corporate donors, including:
The Rule Of Law Defense Fund (RLDF)—which sent robocalls urging a march on the capitol—has reportedly received nearly $1.6 million from major conservative backer the Judicial Crisis Network and has taken at least $50,000 from the trade association for electric utility companies. RLDF’s parent, the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), also took $15 million from major corporate donors in the first three quarters of 2020 in addition to the tens of millions of dollars it received from other stalwart conservative backers since 2014—including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Judicial Crisis Network, Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands, and Koch Industries.
Turning Point USA, which claimed to have sent “80+ buses full of patriots” to the rally, has received millions of dollars from conservative megadonors, including the Marcus and Uihlein families as well as affiliates of the Koch brothers, as part of the over $11 million it received from other major donors in recent years.
Women For America First’s leader was listed on the permit for the rally, the group urged supporters to “caravan” there, and has been tied to the broader movement to overturn the election. The group has received funding from America First Policies, a “pro-Trump policy advocacy” group.
Tea Party Patriots has taken $4.29 million just from GOP megadonor Dick Uihlein.
The Phyllis Schlafly Eagles backed the rally after their affiliated PAC took money from a Rockefeller heir and several right-leaning organizations.
Moms For America—which hosted a Capitol Hill rally the day before the riot—where an Illinois congresswoman claimed “Hitler was right”—took in over $230,000 in 2018.
The Black Conservatives Fund, a group that helped promote the rally and is closely tied to the “Stop the Steal” founder, has taken $215,000 from GOP megadonors the Mercer Family.
Peaceably Gather, founded by a megachurch pastor to keep churches open despite the pandemic, has legal backing from the Trump-tied, anti-LGBT, and anti-choice First Liberty Institute.
The founder of the Eighty Percent Coalition, formed shortly before the attempted insurrection, was previously on the permit for a post-election pro-Trump rally held by Women for America First that claimed to book multiple GOP members of congress (one of whom has promoted QAnon conspiracies) and a former Trump adviser (who has alleged ties to anti-Semitic groups).
