Government

Republican Attorneys General Association Encouraged Supporters To Attend Wednesday's Action At The Capitol

They asked 'patriots' to 'continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections.' And fight they did.

By  
on

(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The Republican Attorneys General Association runs a nonprofit called Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF). Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is the head of RLDF, saying at the time of his election, “I am honored to lead RAGA’s policy branch, the Rule of Law Defense Fund, and bring conservative attorneys general together in promotion of federalism, freedom, and the rule of law.” But now that group has been fingered as being involved in organizing the march on the Capitol Building that turned into a deadly insurrection, so, perhaps some of that honor has been tarnished.

According to reporting by the Alabama Political Reporter, RLDF is listed as a participating organization for the March to Save America on the march’s now defunct, though archived, website, along with Stop the Steal, Tea Party Patriots, and Turning Point Action.

But it gets worse. As reported by Documented, RLDF did more than just lend their name to a laundry list of participating organizations. They paid for robocalls to encourage folks to march to the Capitol building to “stop the steal.” We all know what happened next.

“I’m calling for the Rule of Law Defense Fund with an important message,” the robocall stated, according to Documented. “The march to save America is tomorrow in Washington D.C. at the Ellipse in President’s Park between E St. and Constitution Avenue on the south side of the White House, with doors opening at 7:00 a.m. At 1:00 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal. We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections. For more information, visit MarchtoSaveAmerica.com. This call is paid for and authorized by the Rule of Law Defense Fund, 202-796-5838.”

Marshall made a statement on Wednesday condemning the coup, but failing to mention how an organization he’s in charge of encouraged people to attend the event. He also conveniently omits how he signed onto the failed lawsuit challenging the election results — the exact kind of legal machination that encouraged the patently false belief in right-wingers that Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 election. This inaccurate belief that the election has been stolen from Trump is a direct through-line to Wednesday’s violence. But none of that gets a mention in Marshall’s statement:

“I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the actions of those who today attempted to storm the Capitol, a place where passionate but peaceful protestors had gathered and lawmakers debated inside,” Marshall said in the statement. “Our country is built upon the foundation of the rule of law. American democracy guarantees the right of peaceful protest. Those who chose to engage in violence and anarchy should and will be held accountable under the law.

“I stand by the brave men and women of law enforcement as they work to restore order. God bless the Capitol Police and all members of law enforcement who, as always, have showed such great courage in protecting their fellow man.”

Sponsored

After RLDF’s role in the events of Wednesday came to light, RAGA’s executive director Adam Piper had this statement, which desperately tries to distance the organization from the insurrection:

“The Republican Attorneys General Association and Rule of Law Defense Fund had no involvement in the planning, sponsoring, or the organization of yesterday’s rally,” Piper said in the statement. “No Republican AG authorized the staff’s decision to amplify a colleague speaking at the rally. Organizationally and individually, we strongly condemn and disavow the events which occurred. Yesterday was a dark day in American history and those involved in the violence and destruction of property must be prosecuted and held accountable.”

I guess responsibility is for cucks.

UPDATE: Massachusetts AG Maura Healey and Nevada AG Aaron Ford, Co-Chairs of the Democratic Attorneys General Association released their own statement on RLDF’s involvement. And, yeah, they have a different take:

“The continued peddling of conspiracy theories and pandering to President Trump’s dangerous lies by the Republican Attorneys General Association, the Rule of Law Defense Fund, and some current and former Republican Attorneys General has gone unchecked for too long. Current and former Republican AGs have been directly involved with efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election, and now the party of so-called ‘law and order’ played a role in recruiting the domestic terrorists who breached the U.S. Capitol to attack Vice President Mike Pence for doing his Constitutionally-mandated job to certify the Electoral College.”

“RAGA, RLDF—and the Republican AGs who blindly take their support—have no legal or moral ground on which to stand here: the organization paid for robocalls to recruit attendees, it was listed as a sponsor of the event, its former Chair spoke at the rally that incited a mob, and former GOP AG Josh Hawley led the effort in Congress to undermine the election.”

Sponsored

Read the full statement here.

headshotKathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

Topics

, , , , ,