Far-right radio host Alex Jones and a prominent Republican donor reportedly played a bigger role than previously known in the pro-Trump demonstration held near the White House before the Capitol rebellion.
Jones was involved in pledging money and getting others to donate money for the January 6, TThe Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
The founder of Infowars originally planned to give $ 50,000 in starting capital to guarantee a “The best lecture of your choice”, according to a financing document released by the newspaper.
Julie Jenkins Fancelli, the heir to the Publix Super Markets Inc. chain, contacted Jones and asked for a donation for the January 6 event, organizers told the Journal. Jones allegedly helped Fancelli donate $ 300,000 through a fundraising officer who helped with President Trump
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Fancelli’s donation represented the bulk of the funding for the $ 500,000 Ellipse rally, where Trump spoke before chaos broke out at the end of the day on the Capitol. During the 2020 election cycle, Fancelli donated nearly $ 1 million to the Trump campaign and the Republican Party, the Journal noted.
Neither Jones nor Fancelli responded to the newspaper’s requests for comment. The Hill reached out to comment.
A Publix spokesman told The Hill that Fancelli is not an employee of the supermarket chain and “is not involved in our business operations, nor does he represent the company in any way.”
“The violence at the Capitol on January 6 was a national tragedy. The deplorable actions that occurred that day do not represent the values, work or opinions of Publix Supermarkets,” said the company.
The money Jones presented ended up going to another rally on January 5, an organizer told the Journal.
After Jones helped others to donate to the Ellipse event the next day, hand appeared on the Capitol with pro-Trump supporters. Jones was seen on camera with a megaphone telling supporters to stay calm and trying to take them to an area that was allowed for another demonstration, the Journal reported.
This demonstration was organized by Ali Alexander, another far-right activist who pushed claims of electoral fraud along with Jones. Alexander had posted for weeks on social media trying to get Trump supporters together before the Electoral College count and made a website that said there would be a demonstration on Capitol Hill.
Alexander also worked with Caroline Wren, a fundraising officer who helped manage Fancelli’s donation, the Journal reported. Wren reportedly played a key role in organizing the day’s events on January 6, including the speakers’ meeting.
The different pro-Trump demonstrations and rallies came just before a crowd of supporters of the former president invaded the Capitol, oppressing the police and forcing lawmakers to evacuate. Congress met hours later to certify President Biden’s electoral victory.