Republican’s in the US are vowing reprisals after GoFundMe shut down the Freedom Convoy page.
Yesterday, we reported that GoFundMe shut down the donations page of the Freedom Convoy. The company cited the fact that the protest had become an occupation of the city streets as well as verified unlawful activity as the reasons why.
Canadians have long suspected that the convoy has been funded by foreign backers for some time. Some point to some of the ties leadership have while others point to the countless Trump 2024 flags, the confederate flags, swastika’s, and Gadsden flags that appeared along side upside down and oversized Canadian flags. To be sure, it was always something that didn’t make sense: how can a few thousand lower and working class people magically raise $10 million? One possible explanation was that the funds came from foreign sources. After all, a number of donations that were made were made anonymously. What’s more is Trump directly supporting the convoy from his rally pulpit as well.
So, one thing we were watching out for was what the reactions were going to be once that funding was cut off. It seems that big name American Repuiblican’s are now vowing political reprisals for the move. From Reuters:
Some U.S. Republicans on Saturday vowed to investigate GoFundMe’s decision to take down a page accepting donations in support of protesting truckdrivers in Canada, although GoFundMe early Saturday already said it would simply refund all donations.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Saturday it was fraud for GoFundMe to “commandeer” $9 million in donations sent to the Freedom Convoy in support of the truckdrivers and said he would work with his state’s attorney general, Ashley Moody, to investigate. “(T)hese donors should be given a refund.”
But hours before DeSantis posted his statement on Twitter, GoFundMe said in a tweet that it had revised its original plan on how to handle funds already donated to support the truckdriver protest, saying that all donations would be refunded.
West Virginia and Louisiana attorneys general were among those who called on constituents to let them know if they had been a donor.
“My office will be looking into whether or not #GoFundMe violated our state law. If you are a Louisiana donor to the #FreedomConvoy, please contact my #ConsumerProtection Section!” Jeff Landry, attorney general in Louisiana, said on Twitter on Saturday.
Infamous Republican, Marjorie Taylor Greene, also lent her voice to the outcry over seeing her funds get cut off to the convoy as well. From MSN:
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, attacked GoFundMe Saturday morning over its decision to refund donations to the Canadian truckers who are protesting a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Greene called for the company to be “arrested for theft” and told her followers that “no one should use their site” in a five-minute video posted to her account on the conservative social media site Gettr.
“These corporate communists—this big tech company, basically—that acts as like a bank, and their corporate communists are stealing money,” she said. “I mean, this is literally theft by deception. It is completely wrong and they should be arrested. They seriously should be arrested.”
She went on to criticize companies for deciding “they are the kingmakers” by choosing “what’s information and what’s misinformation” and “what you can donate your money to.”
Other conservative figures also attacked the company for the decision.
Clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson wrote, “This is far worse than mere theft. Government-sanctioned appropriation from citizens funding lawful opposition. This sets a very very dark precedent.”
“All GOP Attorney Generals should be looking at this & helping to get people their $$$ back so it can be redirected to the truckers. Don’t let @gofundme scam you…call your AGs & let them know. GFM seems to have no problem finding BLM riots…peaceful truckers should be fine too,” wrote Donald Trump Jr.
The developments goes a long way to support the narrative that this convoy is really the result of foreign interference. If it wasn’t the American flags that gave it away, it is the reaction that has been seen across the border that might also be giving it away. What’s more is that a lot of talking points and threats closely mirrors what is being said by these Republican’s as well.
When you throw all these reactions into the mix, so much about this convoy makes more sense. Why are there MAGA slogans all over Canada all of a sudden? Why are there American flags and symbols of hate with deep roots in the US? Where did all that money magically come from? Why is Trump openly supporting the convoy? Why did American Republican’s react so quickly and so violently the moment GoFundMe acted? How is it that Canadians are seeing so much ugliness on the streets when nearly 90% are fully vaccinated? Two words: foreign interference. At this point, it looks like we are now stating the obvious given what we’ve seen.
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Facebook.
