An arm of the Association of Republican Attorneys General, a national group representing the top police officers in their states, sent automatic calls encouraging people to march to the U.S. Capitol the day before the building was invaded by a pro-Trump crowd.
“At 1 pm, we will march to the Capitol building and ask Congress to stop the theft,” said the voice on the tape, obtained by NBC News.
The calls, which did not advocate violence or suggested that the building should be breached, were sent by the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a fund-raising arm of the Association of Republican Attorneys General. Groups share funding, staff and office space in Washington, DC
In a statement to NBC News, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who manages the fund, said the calls were sent without his knowledge.
“I was unaware of the unauthorized decisions made by the RLDF team regarding this week’s rally,” said Marshall, who took over on November 10.
“Although I am currently making the transition to my newly elected RLDF president, it is unacceptable that I have not been consulted or informed about these decisions. I conducted an internal review of this issue. “
A website created to promote the rally that preceded the Capitol incursion lists the Rule of Law Defense Fund as one of the participating organizations. The site was taken down.
Adam Piper, the executive director of the Republican Attorneys General Association, and Peter Bisbee, the executive director of the fundraising arm, did not return requests for comment on the automatic calls, which were first reported by the Documented watchdog group.
A spokesman for Georgia’s Attorney General, Chris Carr, president of the Association of Republican Attorneys General, said he “had no knowledge or involvement in this decision”.
“Attorney General Carr has been working diligently to determine how this situation occurred and to ensure that it does not happen again,” said spokeswoman Katie Byrd.
“The protesters’ position was not consistent with Attorney General Carr’s position on electoral fraud. And, as he has been saying since moments after seeing the news, the violence and destruction we saw on the US Capitol is unacceptable and anti-American. “
The Republican Attorneys General Association raised more than $ 18 million in 2020 from several major corporations, including Pepsi, Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase and Comcast, the parent company of NBC News. Its supporters also include interest groups like the NRA and the United States Chamber of Commerce, which was its main donor in 2020 with a contribution of $ 750,000.
Many companies that donated to the Association of Republican Attorneys General also donated to the equivalent Democratic party. Several told NBC News that spending money on this type of protest recruitment goes against the purpose of their donation.
Sought for comment, the Chamber of Commerce provided a statement by Harold Kim, president of the US House of Law Institute for Legal Reform.
“We are shocked by Wednesday’s incursion into the capital and we do not support any efforts by the Rule of Law Defense Fund,” he said. “We do not support any similar activities now and we will not do so in the future.”
A Microsoft spokesman said: “We condemn the actions taken by the RLDF and are expressing our concerns directly with RAGA. Earlier this week, we spoke with others in the business community about the violence that unfolded on the US Capitol. “
A JP Morgan spokesman said his political action committee donated $ 25,000 to the group of attorney generals and none of that went to the Rule of Law Defense Fund.
“Our PAC contributions to the Republican Attorney General’s and Democratic Associations were used strictly for the purposes of the Attorney General’s campaign,” said the spokesman.
Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC, which donated $ 150,000 in 2020, said it requested an immediate refund of its sponsorship to the Association of Republican Attorneys General, and the organization agreed.
“We were not aware of RAGA’s association with the rule of law fund or any connection to the US Capitol rebellion storm on January 6,” said spokesman Brandon Scott.
“Cherokee Nation Businesses does not condone these actions and strongly condemns the rebels and all those who instigated the federal government’s breakdown through its words and actions.”
Melaleuca, an online wellness shopping club, donated $ 290,000 to the Association of Republican Attorneys in 2020.
“We are shocked by the events that culminated in the invasion of the United States Capitol,” the company said in a statement. “We never contributed to the Rule of Law Defense Fund. RAGA assured us that none of our contributions to RAGA were made to the Rule of Law Defense Fund. “
Pepsi, NRA and Comcast did not respond to requests for comment.
A spokesman for the Association of Republican Attorneys General did not answer questions about the robocall, but sought to distance the organization from the event.
“The Association of Republican Attorneys General and the Rule of Law Defense Fund were not involved in planning, sponsoring or organizing Wednesday’s event,” said the spokesman.
“No Republican AG has authorized the team’s decision to amplify a colleague speaking at the event. Organizationally and individually, we strongly condemn and repudiate the events that have occurred. “
One of its members, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, attended the rally and spoke to the crowd saying, “We are not going to stop fighting.”
After the invasion of the Capitol, he tweeted: “I am deeply disappointed today with the certification of the election, but I do not believe that violence is the answer”.
Paxton’s office did not respond to a request for comment.