(1)💔 🧵 w/ @JenLawrence21
Today Brian Kolfage and Andy Badolato were sentenced to prison over a project I cofounded, WeBuildTheWall.
A tragedy worthy of Shakespeare, with meteoric achievement, censorship, political intrigue, scumbag lawyers, predawn raids, & shattered lives.
Today Brian Kolfage and Andy Badolato were sentenced to prison over a project I cofounded, WeBuildTheWall.
A tragedy worthy of Shakespeare, with meteoric achievement, censorship, political intrigue, scumbag lawyers, predawn raids, & shattered lives.
(2)In 2018, after having an ugly falling out with Steve Bannon, @JenLawrence21 and I attempted to break free from politics and use our talents to do something different.
We threw a 4/20 festival in Jamaica and launched an emerging markets cannabis fund.
We threw a 4/20 festival in Jamaica and launched an emerging markets cannabis fund.
(3)It was an adventurous life that suited us but politics wasn't going to let us escape so easily.
(4)While plotting our next moves in the Catskills Mountains we got a puppy, Louis, and started to take on some political/PR gigs to make ends meet.
When Brian Kolfage, a triple-amputee war veteran was censored by Facebook, we were introduced to help him sell coffee.
When Brian Kolfage, a triple-amputee war veteran was censored by Facebook, we were introduced to help him sell coffee.
(5)What started as a way to make a little extra Christmas $$, would take a dramatic turn when Kolfage decided to launch a GoFundMe to crowdfund President Trump's border wall.
Congress had removed funding for the wall from that years Omnibus bill. The campaign went NUCLEAR VIRAL
Congress had removed funding for the wall from that years Omnibus bill. The campaign went NUCLEAR VIRAL
(6) After about a week the GoFundMe page had received nearly a BILLION views and raised about $20 million dollars.
To answer the question "now what do we do" we headed to Washington DC where we met with @Jim_Jordan @MarkMeadows @WarrenDavidson Bannon and dozens of others.
To answer the question "now what do we do" we headed to Washington DC where we met with @Jim_Jordan @MarkMeadows @WarrenDavidson Bannon and dozens of others.
(7) What we learned was that there was no vehicle for the Government to accept earmarked contributions.
Under intense media pressure GoFundMe gave us an ultimatum, present them with a plan in a couple of weeks or everyone would be issued refunds.
Under intense media pressure GoFundMe gave us an ultimatum, present them with a plan in a couple of weeks or everyone would be issued refunds.
(8) Working out of Bannon's basement we devised our plan, assembled a team, hired lawyers, and negotiated with GoFundMe.
We would update the GoFundMe Page to announce the new plan, building a segment of wall on private land.
Donors would have to opt-in or be refunded.
We would update the GoFundMe Page to announce the new plan, building a segment of wall on private land.
Donors would have to opt-in or be refunded.
(9) A well organized and coordinated effort was launched to stop us from getting donors to opt-in.
Hundreds of local and national news outlets ran a story with the headline that all the money would be refunded.
Missing the context of "if they don't opt-in by the end of April"
Hundreds of local and national news outlets ran a story with the headline that all the money would be refunded.
Missing the context of "if they don't opt-in by the end of April"
(10) Between January and May our lives were a whirlwind focused on
1) Finding land on the border to build on
2) Finding a contractor to build the wall
3) Reaching donors to get them to opt-in to the new plan.
1) Finding land on the border to build on
2) Finding a contractor to build the wall
3) Reaching donors to get them to opt-in to the new plan.
(11) Finding private land to build on was easier said than done and required dozens of trips to the border.
We needed private land that met important criteria:
1) Privately owned with a grandfather exception to the Roosevelt Easement
2) Regular trafficking & illegal activity
We needed private land that met important criteria:
1) Privately owned with a grandfather exception to the Roosevelt Easement
2) Regular trafficking & illegal activity
(12) Between border trips we held events all over the country to get the word out.
We held town halls in Arizona, Ohio, and Michigan. Liz Cheney and @SpeakerMcCarthy spoke at our Angel Families Press Conference in DC.
In all our travel, we never went to New York...
We held town halls in Arizona, Ohio, and Michigan. Liz Cheney and @SpeakerMcCarthy spoke at our Angel Families Press Conference in DC.
In all our travel, we never went to New York...
(13) Kris Kobach was added to the Board of Directors to be our liaison with the Trump administration and to serve as General Counsel.
Despite being paid top dollar, Kobach's responsibilities would become YUGE problems.
Despite being paid top dollar, Kobach's responsibilities would become YUGE problems.
(14) In April, we traveled to Greece to meet with government officials and business partners to set up farm to retail CBD and THC operations.
We still wanted to move on from politics but first we had to build the wall.
We still wanted to move on from politics but first we had to build the wall.
(15) When we returned home, it was time to go.
Everything had come together:
-We had a high-traffic spot to build
-We had found a contractor
-We had the element of surprise because no one thought it was possible for us to build in just 5 months.
Everything had come together:
-We had a high-traffic spot to build
-We had found a contractor
-We had the element of surprise because no one thought it was possible for us to build in just 5 months.
(16) To minimize the risk of legal/activist disruption we would start building on Friday afternoon on Memorial Day Weekend and the crews would work around the clock.
Tuesday it would be too late to stop us
My "Suck It Haters" video would get the most views of the whole project
Tuesday it would be too late to stop us
My "Suck It Haters" video would get the most views of the whole project
(17) Our location was in Sunland Park NM between El Paso and Juarez. It was the site of many bloody turf wars between cartels because of the proximity to the two urban centers.
It was a major route for both drug and human smuggling.
It was a major route for both drug and human smuggling.
(18) The wall we built is an engineering marvel and our prototype and contractor would later be awarded the government contract to build Trump's border wall.
This video shows just how massive the undertaking was...
This video shows just how massive the undertaking was...
(19) Everything basically went according to plan and Tuesday morning Brian revealed to the world what we had done in an exclusive interview with @DavidBegnaud on CBS.
(20) We would stay on site for the next several weeks giving media tours and beating back a variety of legal and PR attacks.
A globalist organization, the International Boundaries and Waterway Commission (IBWC) and local/state governments tried to intervene but it was too late.
A globalist organization, the International Boundaries and Waterway Commission (IBWC) and local/state governments tried to intervene but it was too late.
(21) We had done the impossible and had closed a brutally violent stretch of open border that was a hotbed of drug and human trafficking.
Coyotes would no longer be able to bring exploited migrants and drugs through this segment of border.
Coyotes would no longer be able to bring exploited migrants and drugs through this segment of border.
(22) @JenLawrence21 and I our proud that our names (and Louis' paw print) are in the original concrete pour.
We made a tangible difference in the battle against drug and human trafficking and no one can ever take that from us.
In part 2 though, the empire strikes back.
We made a tangible difference in the battle against drug and human trafficking and no one can ever take that from us.
In part 2 though, the empire strikes back.
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