Thread by @YDanasmithdutra

@MacFarlaneNews Following the Capitol invasion, organization Documented reported audio it had obtained of a robocall message sent out by RLDF the day before the attack, encouraging people to turn out for the march. Archived copies “March To Save America” website also point to RLDF’s involvement.

@MacFarlaneNews “I’m calling for the Rule of Law Defense Fund with an important message,” the call started, before describing plans for the crowd to march from a park near the White House to the Capitol  at 1 p.m. to “call on Congress to stop the steal.”

@MacFarlaneNews “We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections,“ the message continued. It then promoted the march’s website, before ending with a reminder that the call was “paid for and authorized by the Rule of Law Defense Fund.”

@MacFarlaneNews That website, MarchtoSaveAmerica.com, is now defunct, but an Internet Archive cache from the early morning of Jan. 3 shows RAGA among a list of partnering organizations. Later that day, RAGA appears to have been swapped out for RLDF.

@MacFarlaneNews Despite evidence, the organizations sought to distance themselves from the violent protest. In a statement on Jan. 7, then-RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper condemned the violence that RAGA/RLDF had no involvement in the planning, sponsoring, or the organization of the protest.

@MacFarlaneNews “No Republican AG authorized the staff’s decision to amplify a colleague speaking at the rally,” Piper added. Although colleague isn’t named, Texas AG Ken Paxton a member of RAGA who led the failed lawsuit seeking to undermine the 2020 election result spoke at the protest.

@MacFarlaneNews Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who leads RLDF, said on Jan. 8 that he was investigating “unauthorized” staff actions surrounding the protest. Washington Post reported Jan. 11, several state AG’s said they were unaware of the robocalls. Piper resigned days later.

@MacFarlaneNews American Oversight is using open records requests to attorney general offices in multiple states including Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Kentucky and Florida to investigate who knew about the calls or about the groups’ support for what would turn out to be a deadly seditious attack.

@MacFarlaneNews CONSERVATIVE ATTORNEYS GENERAL GROUP’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE JAN. 6 MARCH TO THE CAPITOL

americanoversight.org/investigation/…

@MacFarlaneNews STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS’ INVOLVEMENT IN JAN. 6 TRUMP RALLY AND CAPITOL ATTACK

americanoversight.org/investigation/…

@MacFarlaneNews The Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF), a 501(c)(4) arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), helped organize the protest preceding the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021.

@MacFarlaneNews 🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼

As a 501(c)(4), RLDF is not required to reveal its donors. RLDF has received at least $175,000 from the Koch-backed Freedom Partners. Other RLDF donors include Judicial Crisis Network, the Rule of Law Project, and the Edison Electric Institute.

@MacFarlaneNews RAGA is a 527 political organization that helps elect Republican attorneys general and can accept unlimited contributions from wealthy individuals and corporations. As previously reported by Documented, RAGA received significant funding from numerous corporations in 2020.

@MacFarlaneNews Koch Industries ($375k), Comcast Corporation ($200k), Walmart ($140k), Home Depot ($125k), Amazon ($100k), TikTok ($75k), 1-800 Contacts ($51k), Chevron ($50k), The National Rifle Association ($50k), Monsanto ($50k), Facebook ($50k), Fox Corporation ($50k) - (Cont’d)

@MacFarlaneNews …Fox Corporation ($50k), Uber ($50k), Coca Cola ($50k), Exxon ($50k), and Google ($25k).

@MacFarlaneNews Looking at you Virginia Thomas!🤬🖕🏼

RLDF appeared in a list of groups “Participating in the March to Save America” on the March to Save America website alongside entities including Stop the Steal, Turning Point Action, Tea Party Patriots and others.

@MacFarlaneNews MARCH TO SAVE AMERICA

WHERE
The Ellipse - President's Park
South of The White House.

WHEN
Wed, January 06, 2021
Doors open at 7:00 AM (EST)
At 1:00 PM, we protest at US Capitol

@MacFarlaneNews Fight to #StopTheSteal, with President Trump

On January 6, 2021, millions of Americans will descend upon Washington DC to let the establishment know we will fight back against this fraudulent election.

@MacFarlaneNews Take a stand with President Trump and the #StopTheSteal coalition and be at the The Ellipse (President’s Park) at 7am. The fate of our nation depends on it.
At 1:00 PM, we will march to the US Capitol building to protest the certification of the Electoral College.

@MacFarlaneNews (MarchtoSaveAmerica.com has been taken down but an archived version of the website can be accessed through the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.)

web.archive.org/web/2021010500…