Thread by @DAMarkGonzalez

This is a story about far-right millionaires, Florida dark-money, a twisted web tied to Trump, fake militias, and myself — a twice elected Democrat serving as DA in a red Texas County. The stakes are the future of our democracy.

It sounds like a lot. It is. Let me explain…

It starts with Citizens Defending Freedom, a far-right activist group with 100 chapters across the country.

There is no need for hyperbole or exaggeration: I’ll tell you a bit more about CDF by pulling straight from their own pamphlet:

I first encountered CDF last year when I called out a Sheriff for amplifying their hateful attacks on teachers and our LGBT+ community.

Things settled and I forgot all about them—until this January, when I learned they’d filed a case to have me removed from office early.

It’d be easy for me to tell you they’re coming after me because I’m a passionate young Latino DA with tattoos and a motorcycle, or because I won twice countywide despite Trump carrying Nueces. However, things go deeper than that.

This isn’t about me. It’s a test to see if anyone will stop the far-right from turning our courts into weapons to fight popularly elected officials and cast aside democracy. Otherwise, they have a tried and true way to get rid of anyone they can’t beat fairly at the ballot box.

With a board seat set at a million dollars, offerings of tax-deductibility to donors, and support from the likes of Roger Stone and Mike Flynn (in addition to their mega-wealthy founders), CDF has all the money in the world to spend on taking me down.

So, who’s behind this effort? Let me introduce you to the shady cast of far-right characters who make up CDF’s leadership:

First, we have Steve Maxwell & John Durham, who sold their agriculture company in 2018 for around $150 million in cash. While many would use that as an opportunity to sit on a beach somewhere, they now instead focus on what they often describe as “ideological warfare.”

Pastor Dave Bendett (known as “Apostle Dave” to his supporters) is the treasurer for CDF, which conveniently lists its headquarters on non-profit tax filings in the same strip mall as Dave’s church.

Next is Dr. Keith Rose, a former US intelligence doctor turned plastic surgeon whose appearances on far-right media range from convoluted uses of scripture to claims of a deep state — and just about every far-right conspiracy in between.

Aside from his work with CDF, Dr. Rose has dabbled in the world of private armies – however, his most recent venture came to a rapid halt after it was revealed the CEO he was working with was conning everyone from a clueless billionaire to the Trump admin.

As a group, the men behind CDF are tied into a twisted, malicious, and, based on hundreds of hours of podcast audio and footage, downright disturbing web of the far, far-right. According to Mypillow CEO Mike Lindell, the web ties directly back to Trump.

On their site, with their supporters, & with far-right demagogues, CDF slips up their slick, good ol’ boy schtick and says the quiet part out loud. That’s what I hope people will understand through the lens of this case: this isn’t exaggeration—they want to take over our country.

They learned how to ban books in Polk first, then moved across FL.

They tried contesting elections in Fulton, then went around GA.

Same thing for Pride Month here in TX.

Now, they’ll try to overrule democracy in Nueces. Then, the whole nation is next. secure.ngpvan.com/KzNRDnFm7UOapN…