WALL tommy fisher

<div>=</div><div>=<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall" style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall</a>we Build the Wall is an organization soliciting donations to build private sections of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico%E2%80%93United_States_barrier" title="Mexico–United States barrier" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">wall along the Mexico–U.S. border</a>. It started as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GoFundMe" title="GoFundMe" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">GoFundMe</a> campaign by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">United States Air Force</a> veteran <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Kolfage" title="Brian Kolfage" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Brian Kolfage</a> in December 2018.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-wash_hea-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[2]</a> Kolfage announced the formation of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501(c)(4)" class="mw-redirect" title="501(c)(4)" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">501(c)(4)</a> non-profit organization in January 2019.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Politico$20m-3" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[3]</a> By mid-2020, over $25 million had been raised<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-4" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[4]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Reason_2020-5" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[5]</a> and a 3-mile (4.8 km) section of fence had been built.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Propublica-2020-July-2-6" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[6]</a>Its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advisory_board" title="Advisory board" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">advisory board</a> includes politicians and activists with a hard-line stance on illegal immigration, including former secretary of state of Kansas <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Kobach" title="Kris Kobach" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Kris Kobach</a>;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-7" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[7]</a> former congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Tancredo" title="Tom Tancredo" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Tom Tancredo</a>;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-8" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[8]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_USA" class="mw-redirect" title="Blackwater USA" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Blackwater USA</a> founder <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Prince" title="Erik Prince" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Erik Prince</a>; former Milwaukee sheriff <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Clarke(sheriff)" title="David Clarke (sheriff)" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">David Clarke</a>;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-9" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[9]</a> and former Trump chief strategist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bannon" title="Steve Bannon" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Steve Bannon</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Reason_2020-5" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[5]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-10" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[10]</a> who is chairman of the board.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-nyti_Bord-11" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[11]</a> On December 3, 2019, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidalgo_County,Texas" title="Hidalgo County, Texas" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Hidalgo County</a> judge ordered the group to temporarily halt all construction due to its plans to build adjacent to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande" title="Rio Grande" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Rio Grande</a>, which a lawyer for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Butterfly_Center" title="National Butterfly Center" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">National Butterfly Center</a> argued would create a flooding risk. On January 9, 2020, a federal judge lifted the injunction, allowing construction to resume.On August 20, 2020, the acting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.attorney" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. attorney" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">U.S. attorney</a> for the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment charging Brian Kolfage, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bannon" title="Steve Bannon" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Steve Bannon</a>, Andrew Badolato and Timothy Shea<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Reason_2020-5" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[5]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-12" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[12]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-13" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[13]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-14" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[14]</a> with a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors by illegally taking funds for personal use. The men face charges of conspiracy to commit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_and_wire_fraud" title="Mail and wire fraud" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">wire fraud</a> and conspiracy to commit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_laundering" title="Money laundering" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">money laundering</a>. Each charge is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felony" title="Felony" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">felony</a> with maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Justice.gov-15" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[15]</a><div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading" style="font-size: small; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250); padding: 7px; display: table;"><ul style="list-style: none; margin: 0.3em 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Organizational_history" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Organizational history</a><ul style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Beginnings_on_GoFundMe" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">1.1Beginnings on GoFundMe</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Formation_of_non-profit_organization" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">1.2Formation of non-profit organization</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Kobach_campaigns_for_Wall_and_Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">1.3Kobach campaigns for Wall and Senate</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Organization_controversies" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">2Organization controversies</a><ul style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Donation_concerns" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">2.1Donation concerns</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Florida_criminal_investigation" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">2.2Florida criminal investigation</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Criminal_indictments" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">2.3Criminal indictments</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Sunland_Park_wall" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">3Sunland Park wall</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Mission/Rio_Grande_wall" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">4Mission/Rio Grande wall</a><ul style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Temporary_halt" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">4.1Temporary halt</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Erosion" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">4.2Erosion</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#Tax_liability" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">4.3Tax liability</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#See_also" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">5See also</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-15" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#References" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">6References</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#External_links" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">7External links</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Organizational history[</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Beginnings on GoFundMe[</h3>In December 2018, Kolfage started an attempt to raise $1 billion via <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GoFundMe" title="GoFundMe" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">GoFundMe</a>, initially called We Fund the Wall, for the construction of a border wall between the United States and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Mexico</a>. Kolfage said the target figure was achievable, adding "This won't be easy, but it's our duty as citizens".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-16" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[16]</a> In an email to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Washington_Post" title="The Washington Post" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">The Washington Post</a>, Kolfage stated that he began the fundraiser as "political games from both parties" have been holding back funding for the wall.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-:1-17" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[17]</a> Within three days, over $9 million had been raised.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Hamblin9milSanDiegoUnionTrib-18" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[18]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Phoenix-19" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[19]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Formation of non-profit organization[</h3>In January 2019, Kolfage posted a message to the GoFundMe page that he had decided that raising money through a nonprofit would be more successful. A new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501(c)(4)" class="mw-redirect" title="501(c)(4)" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">501(c)(4)</a> nonprofit was created and called We Build The Wall Inc. through which Kolfage plans to have segments of the wall privately constructed through negotiations with landowners along the border.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Politico$20m-3" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[3]</a> GoFundMe however issued a statement after Kolfage's statement that it would give refunds unless the donor chose to opt into the change to where the donations would go.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[20]</a>By January 2019, former <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_Secretary_of_State" class="mw-redirect" title="Kansas Secretary of State" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Kansas Secretary of State</a> and anti-immigration activist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Kobach" title="Kris Kobach" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Kris Kobach</a> had joined Kolfage's advisory board. Kobach said he was currently unpaid, but might take a paid position with Kolfage's organization. Kobach indicated the biggest problems along the border were "litter and security." In a phone call between him and the president on January 23, 2019, Kobach said <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Donald Trump</a>, endorsed the project saying, "...the project has my blessing, and you can tell the media that."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[21]</a> As the money Kolfage is accumulating is going to a 501(c)4, it could all be spent as "dark money" in political campaigns, with next to no public reporting of expenditures required.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Phoenix-19" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[19]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-22" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[22]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kobach campaigns for Wall and Senate[</h3>On July 8, 2019, as he stood in front of a "Build the Wall" banner, in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leavenworth,Kansas" title="Leavenworth, Kansas" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Leavenworth, Kansas</a>, Kobach announced his candidacy for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_Senate_election_in_Kansas" title="2020 United States Senate election in Kansas" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">2020 United States Senate election in Kansas</a> to replace retiring Senator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Roberts" title="Pat Roberts" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Pat Roberts</a>, saying, referring to his campaign theme: "I've been on the southern border constantly in the past six months and I can tell you stories that will make your skin crawl." "I don't talk about what the president and I say in our communications, but let me just say he was very encouraging when we spoke a few days ago." A spokesperson confirmed Kobach had spoken to President Trump about the announcement of his candidacy on July 4.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-23" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[23]</a> Kobach received the endorsement of former congressman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Tancredo" title="Tom Tancredo" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Tom Tancredo</a>,[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">citation needed</a>] who is known for his political views on illegal immigration and is also a board member for We Build The Wall.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[24]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-25" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[25]</a> However, despite his best efforts, Kobach lost the Republican Primary to Representative <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Marshall(politician)" title="Roger Marshall (politician)" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Roger Marshall</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-26" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[26]</a>On August 1, 2019, Kobach sent out a campaign fundraiser using both the corporate name and email list of "Wall" donors. Kobach's involvement with WBtW, which is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501(c)4" class="mw-redirect" title="501(c)4" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">501(c)4</a> organization, has given cause for concern, as the fundraising and campaign mailing lists it is accumulating are prohibited from coordinating with his Senate campaign, but the ability and appetite for effective oversight within the Trump administration are anticipated to likely be inadequate.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Sunland-27" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[27]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Cause" title="Common Cause" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Common Cause</a> Vice President of Policy and Litigation Paul S. Ryan said, "At a minimum, this Kobach for Senate fundraising solicitation email appears to violate the 'paid for by' disclaimer requirement" for official campaign communications. Ryan specified the requirement that mandates disclosure of the financial sponsors who originate official political communications. Kobach's email might be legal if his campaign paid <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_market_value" title="Fair market value" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">fair market value</a> for use of the list. If that were the case, a "paid for by" disclaimer would be required but was not present in the solicitation. Ryan said, "If the Kobach committee did not pay fair market value for the cost of disseminating this email, then the committee has arguably committed the more serious <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States" title="Campaign finance in the United States" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">campaign finance</a> law violation of receiving a corporate contribution in the form of a coordinated expenditure." WBtW is legally prohibited from financing federal political campaigns in any fashion.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[28]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[29]</a>On July 23, 2019, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_Senate" title="Kansas Senate" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Kansas Senate</a> President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Wagle" title="Susan Wagle" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Susan Wagle</a> of Wichita filed the paperwork with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Elections_Commission" class="mw-redirect" title="Federal Elections Commission" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Federal Elections Commission</a> necessary to run in the race for the vacant Senate seat. She criticized Kobach's employment in the controversial privately financed and constructed scheme to build the southern border wall. Wagle supports the building of a federally designed, bid and funded wall while saying Kobach's group undermines federal involvement. "We don't need some rogue organization going out and building the wall."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Lowry-30" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[30]</a><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Organization controversies[</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Donation concerns[</h3>Concern has been raised about how the money from the GoFundMe would be distributed after the fundraiser has ended. While on the fundraiser Kolfage has stated that he has contacted the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Donald_Trump" title="Presidency of Donald Trump" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Trump administration</a> about donating the money, and citizens can mail money as gifts to the United States, according to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury" title="United States Department of the Treasury" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">U.S. Treasury Department</a>. He has also cited the 2012 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Monument" title="Washington Monument" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Washington Monument</a> restoration project in which a philanthropist billionaire matched donations to restore the monument after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Virginia_earthquake" title="2011 Virginia earthquake" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">2011 East Coast earthquake</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-:1-17" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[17]</a> It is not clear if the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security" title="United States Department of Homeland Security" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Department of Homeland Security</a> can accept gifts, and if the money is accepted it would still go into a general fund that must be allocated by Congress.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[31]</a>Other concerns about the use of donations were raised in 2019 by backers and others who became concerned about the reported clandestine operations and assurances of progress without physical backing of land being purchased or structures being built. Kolfage has repeatedly changed the date for the beginning of the project under WeBuildTheWall Inc, having told <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politico" title="Politico" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Politico</a> in February 2019 that groundbreaking would be in May or June 2019, then in a March 2019 interview with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Family_Radio" title="American Family Radio" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">American Family Radio</a> he claimed the date to be April 2019.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-32" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[32]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-33" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[33]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Florida criminal investigation[</h3>In June 2019, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Department_of_Agriculture_and_Consumer_Services" title="Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services</a>, which oversees Florida charities soliciting funds from the public, initiated investigations into several complaints, including allegations of questionable use of collected funds, the organization only having one director (Kolfage) on its board of directors instead of the mandatory minimum of three required for a nonprofit organization, and filing false statements about the board. Kolfage responded that the investigation was politically motivated by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikki_Fried" title="Nikki Fried" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Nikki Fried</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[34]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-no_comment-35" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[35]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Criminal indictments[</h3>In August 2020, the Acting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Attorney_for_the_Southern_District_of_New_York" title="United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">U.S. Attorney for the Southern District in New York</a> announced indictments of Kolfage and Bannon for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-36" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[36]</a> Kolfage allegedly took more than $350,000 for his personal use and Bannon over $1 million to cover personal expenses and pay Kolfage, while concealing their use of donor funds by "creating sham invoices and accounts to launder donations and cover up their crimes."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Justice.gov-15" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[15]</a> Financier Andrew Badolato and Timothy Shea were also charged.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[37]</a> All four have pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for May 24, 2021.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[38]</a>Bannon (but not his accused accomplices) was pardoned by outgoing president Donald Trump at the end of his presidency, but <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_District_Attorney" class="mw-redirect" title="Manhattan District Attorney" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Manhattan District Attorney</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Vance_Jr." title="Cyrus Vance Jr." style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Cyrus Vance</a> has continued to pursue Bannon under state law. According to CNN, shortly after the pardon, Vance subpoenaed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Fargo" title="Wells Fargo" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Wells Fargo</a> for records related to Bannon's role in We Build the Wall.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[39]</a><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sunland Park wall[</h2>The organization began construction on Project 1 using donated funds over <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day" title="Memorial Day" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Memorial Day</a> 2019. In an unannounced operation, the organization constructed between 1/2 and 1-mile of bollard fencing using "weathered steel" on a section of the border in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunland_Park,New_Mexico" title="Sunland Park, New Mexico" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Sunland Park, New Mexico</a>, on the property of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Eagle_Brick_Company&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="American Eagle Brick Company (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">American Eagle Brick Company</a>, near <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso,Texas" title="El Paso, Texas" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">El Paso, Texas</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-KOB-40" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[40]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-texa_Bord-41" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[41]</a>The 18-foot (5.5 m) high fencing was intended to close a gap between a 21-mile (34 km) section of existing fencing along the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande" title="Rio Grande" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Rio Grande</a> and mountainous terrain which the Border Patrol said was allowing up to 100 illegal immigrants and $100,000 in illegal drugs to enter the US each night.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Dinan-42" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[42]</a> Jeff Allen, owner of the property upon which the wall was constructed, stated, "They are doing an incredible job. I have fought illegals on this property for six years. I love my country, and this is a step in protecting my country."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-CNN-43" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[43]</a> The fence constructed on Allen's land reportedly cost $6–8 million of the donated funds. The section begins on the Rio Grande river and extends over 2,500 feet (760 m) to the lower elevations of Mount Cristo Rey in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico" title="New Mexico" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">New Mexico</a>. Construction was done by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommy_Fisher&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tommy Fisher (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Tommy Fisher</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_Industries" title="Fisher Industries" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Fisher Sand & Gravel</a>, a company that President Trump has suggested should be contracted by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers" title="United States Army Corps of Engineers" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">United States Army Corps of Engineers</a>, or the US government for federally funded border wall construction.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Dinan-42" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[42]</a> Allen had previously worked with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Constitutional_Patriots" title="United Constitutional Patriots" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">United Constitutional Patriots</a>, allowing them to conduct operations from his land, despite having a hostile attitude towards on his land. The United Constitutional Patriots helped with site visits by We Build the Wall (WBtW) and supplied video that was used in their funding campaign.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-thei_Vigi-44" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[44]</a>Kobach stated that WBtW has plans to construct further barriers on private lands adjoining the border in Texas and California.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-CNN-43" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[43]</a> Now the General Counsel for the organization, he said, "We do have agility, and speed and determination, and that's what I hope you see on display when you look at this wall."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[45]</a>Construction was delayed for two days after the mayor issued a "cease and desist" order, but resumed on May 30, 2019, after research on zoning showed the structure was within code.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-KOB-40" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[40]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-texa_Bord-41" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[41]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-46" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[46]</a> In May, after completing a demonstration half-mile wall on private property in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunland_Park,New_Mexico" title="Sunland Park, New Mexico" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Sunland Park, New Mexico</a>, WBtW was accused by local officials of failing to first obtain required work permits. He wrote on Twitter his group had "planned for battle" rushing the project during a holiday weekend "when the corrupt city was partying." That tweet was later deleted. Kolfage also tweeted "So Sunland Park officials support open borders, the sex slaves and illegal drugs coming into their communities?"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-flood-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[47]</a> Both Sunland Park and WBtW said they were laboring to get the project into compliance. A month later, local officials said the necessary permits had yet to be obtained; the city had filed a complaint against landowner on which the wall was constructed. In June 2019, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Boundary_and_Water_Commission" title="International Boundary and Water Commission" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">International Boundary and Water Commission</a> (IBWC) determined that We Build The Wall had built its wall across federally-owned land and had built and locked a gate across a road leading to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Boundary_Marker_No.1,U.S.and_Mexico" title="International Boundary Marker No. 1, U.S. and Mexico" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Monument One</a> without required permits. The IBWC also accused WBtW of installing a gate for the wall on federal land in lieu of proper permits or authorizations, while illegally preventing access to waterways and a public monument.According to emails obtained via <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Open_Records_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Open Records Act (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Open Records Act</a> requests, WBtW was informed about such permits and studies that were required to build the gate on federal property but ignored them and proceeded with construction anyway. "We are literally making a mountain out of a molehill," said attorney Rich Kaye, who represented WBtW, in writing to the IBWC on June 3. The next day, Kolfage tweeted video of the gate being constructed. IBWC officials said the gate needed to be kept open during daytime work hours. They also said that the half-mile structure hadn't prevented people from illegal border crossings, but rather channeled them to cross at a nearby dam which created a "safety and security problem." Kolfage responded with accusations, in lieu of any evidence, that both Sunland Park and IBWC officials were corrupt and conspiring with Mexican drug cartels.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Buzz-48" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[48]</a> WBtW and the IBWC eventually resolved their dispute. As a result, the gate is kept open during the day and closed and locked at night, which, according to Kolfage, is fine, because "all the traffic comes through that area at night."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-49" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[49]</a><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mission/Rio Grande wall[</h2>On October 13, 2019, marked the beginning of Project 2 along the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande" title="Rio Grande" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Rio Grande</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission,Texas" title="Mission, Texas" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Mission, Texas</a>. The website indicated that projects 2 and 3 were at 67% of their fundraising goals and could include up to 35 additional miles (56 km). This is significantly more mileage than Project 1.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-50" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[50]</a> Fisher called it the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini" title="Lamborghini" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Lamborghini</a>" of walls, versus the government's "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_and_buggy" title="Horse and buggy" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">horse and buggy</a>" design.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-inspect-51" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[51]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Temporary halt[</h3>On December 3, 2019, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidalgo_County,Texas" title="Hidalgo County, Texas" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Hidalgo County</a> district judge Randy Crane ordered the group to temporarily halt all construction due to its plans to build in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floodplain" title="Floodplain" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">floodplain</a> the Rio Grande, which a lawyer for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Butterfly_Center" title="National Butterfly Center" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">National Butterfly Center</a> argued would create a flooding risk. According to Kolfage, "We have many people who try to stop us legally with silly attempts, and in the end we always prevail. I would put a 50/50 chance [that the court order] is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_news" title="Fake news" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">fake news</a>, and if it's not it will be crushed legally pretty fast".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-52" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[52]</a> Kolfage also tweeted the butterfly center had "rampant sex trade".<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-flood-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[47]</a>The order was ignored and work did not stop.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-Lakhani-53" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[53]</a>IBWC noted to Judge Crane that WBtW didn't supply the hydraulic models necessary for construction along the banks of the river, only providing a six-page analysis. Even during the court order, Fisher Industries continued to perform preparatory excavation.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-flood-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[47]</a>On January 9, 2020, a federal judge lifted an injunction, allowing a construction firm to move forward with the 3 mi (4.8 km) project in the floodplain of the Rio Grande River. The lawsuit continued, however, as IBWC ran hydraulic modeling.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-54" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[54]</a>On February 17, 2020, We Build the Wall announced that Project 2 had been completed.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-55" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[55]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Texas_Tribune" title="The Texas Tribune" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The Texas Tribune</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProPublica" title="ProPublica" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">ProPublica</a> also noted that in February IBWC Commissioner Jayne Harkins donated $500 to Trump and a Republican PAC.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-flood-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[47]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Erosion[</h3>In March 2020, IBWC released their 24-page hydraulic analysis, noting the treaty was violated for hydraulic changes but that overall the problems were relatively minor.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-flood-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[47]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-inspect-51" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[51]</a>In July, Assistant <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Attorney" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Attorney" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">U.S. Attorney</a> Eric Paxton Warner told Judge Crane that four areas of erosion needed to be fixed. The attorney for the Butterfly Center said the erosion is "massive", and "You can see the erosion actually made a hole under the wall." The consensus among hydrologists and engineers ProPublica talked to said the Rio Grande has scoured against the base of the wall, causing erosion and putting the wall in danger of falling down. Mark Courtois, a Fisher attorney, called it "a normal part of new construction projects like this" and denied it was serious. Kolfage stated it was "designed for floods", but engineers and hydrologists raised concerns, noting that the IBWC model was incorrect. The Fisher wall is also much shallower than federal walls, 2.5 feet (0.76 m) versus 6 feet (1.8 m) or more. The construction also removed vegetation from slopes, increasing erosion risk. The parties agreed to a detailed inspection of the wall on July 8.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-flood-47" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[47]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-inspect-51" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[51]</a>In response to the ProPublica report and erosion problems, Trump tweeted that "I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall", going on to say "It was only done to make me look bad, and perhsps [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic" title="Sic" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">sic</a>] it now doesn't even work. Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-apne_Trum-56" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[56]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-texa_Trum-57" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[57]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tax liability[</h3>The 638 acres (2.58 km2) of land the wall was built on is part of farmland that belongs to Neuhaus and Sons, and the wall added over $20 million in taxable <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_development" title="Land development" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">land improvement</a>, increasing the tax burden by 75 times. In January 2020, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_Industries" title="Fisher Industries" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Fisher Industries</a> started a lease-purchase agreement with Neuhaus and Sons for the land under the wall, but had not completed the ownership transfer by their court hearing on December 12, 2020, citing a problematic land survey by Fisher. Fisher's attorney, Mark Courtois, was hopeful the US government would become owners of both the wall and land. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Customs_and_Border_Protection" title="U.S. Customs and Border Protection" style="background: none; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">U.S. Customs and Border Protection</a> (CBP) Public Affairs Officer Thomas Gresback said that the wall was privately paid for and on private property, and CBP does not have anything to do with the project. CBP is constructing its RGV-03 project wall outside the floodplain 0.3 miles (0.48 km) away.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-58" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[58]</a> As of July 2021, the property had been reassessed at 100 times its original value, and Fisher was hoping to sell a 3-mile section of wall that had cost $30 million to build.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Build_the_Wall#cite_note-59" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">[59]</a><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">See also[</h2><ul w="w" skins="skins" vector="Vector" resources="resources" common="common" images="images" bullet-icon.svg="bullet-icon.svg" d4515="d4515" margin="margin" em="em" px="px" padding="padding" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb" style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); list-style-image: url("");"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_of_the_American_Republic" title="Citizens of the American Republic" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Citizens of the American Republic</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_13767" title="Executive Order 13767" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: none;">Executive Order 13767</a></li></ul><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">References</h2><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">...[many]</div>
=</div><div>=</div><div><a href="https://www.alternet.org/2022/03/donald-trump-2656833571/">https://www.alternet.org/2022/03/donald-trump-2656833571/</a></div><div>
</div><div>report bad</div><div>=2 22 just saw big art'l on fisher NTK definers pounder oppos res=<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/federal-prosecutors-have-steve-bannons-murky-nonprofit-in-their-sights">https://www.propublica.org/article/federal-prosecutors-have-steve-bannons-murky-nonprofit-in-their-sights</a><p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="1.0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Near the end of a lengthy indictment detailing fraud allegations against Stephen Bannon, former Donald Trump campaign CEO and chief strategist and his associates, federal prosecutors reveal that they intend to seize the assets of a murky nonprofit organization Bannon launched in 2017 to promote “economic nationalism.”<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="1.1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The group is Citizens of the American Republic, a California-based nonprofit that serves as a platform for Bannon’s films and podcasts that promote Trump’s ideology. Throughout the 24-page indictment, the group appears to be referenced as “Non-Profit-1” in a scheme in which Bannon and his partners were allegedly looting a crowdsourced charity, We Build the Wall, for personal gain. The indictment never outright states that “Non-Profit-1” is Citizens of the American Republic, but it describes it as an “organization founded by [Bannon] with the stated purpose of promoting economic nationalism and American sovereignty,” which closely matches the nonprofit’s own stated aims.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="1.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The indictment alleges that “Non-Profit-1” received over $1 million through the scheme and funneled part of it to Brian Kolfage, the military veteran who raised money to build a privately funded wall to help Trump block off the southern border.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="1.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The document also sheds light on an oblique financial trail linking a loose-knit group of private businesses and nonprofit organizations politically aligned with Trump. In addition to Bannon’s nonprofit and We Build the Wall, federal investigators are moving to seize assets from four other entities, including two affiliated with Kolfage — a defunct right-wing news site called Freedom Daily that operated out of Florida and America First Medical, a medical supplies company Kolfage formed in Wyoming to sell masks in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="1.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. rules allowing so-called dark money groups like Bannon’s to hide the identity of their donors helps them maintain a shroud of secrecy, which is only partially pierced by a criminal indictment and the subpoena power of investigators.<aside data-pp-blocktype="canned-promo" class="canned-promo partnership-texastribune large left" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.625rem 0px; padding: 1rem 120.188px; border-width: 1px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(216, 214, 211); border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 214, 211); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; float: none; clear: left; width: 808.125px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="dek" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.625rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;" /></aside><p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="3.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The only reason any of this is coming to light is it turns out that the money that was being collected wasn’t necessarily used for the promised purposes and instead it was used to enrich someone,” said Daniel Weiner, deputy director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Election Reform Program. “The secrecy, at least for the people who helped design the system, is a feature not a bug.”<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="5.0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kolfage <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-indictment-war-hero-insight/decorated-veteran-at-center-of-u-s-fraud-charges-on-border-wall-fundraising-idUSKBN25H27G" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">told Reuters</a> in 2019 that he had earned seven figures through creating and selling conservative websites like Freedom Daily.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="5.1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">Bannon played a critical role in helping Kolfage set up We Build the Wall Inc. after GoFundMe, the crowdfunding platform he had been using, accumulated millions in donations from supporters, the indictment charges. GoFundMe demanded that Kolfage set up a legitimate nonprofit to accept donations. The effort ultimately raised over $25 million after promising — falsely, the indictment alleges — that the donations would not benefit Kolfage.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="5.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">That “removes all self-interest taint” and gives “Brian Kolfage saint hood,” stated Andrew Badolato, a longtime Bannon associate who was also indicted, in a text to Bannon that prosecutors quoted. Badolato and his lawyer did not respond to emails requesting comment.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="5.3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bannon promoted the wall effort on his podcast “War Room: Pandemic” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7hvhjM65-w" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">as recently as Wednesday</a>, when he had Kolfage on to discuss the situation at the border.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="5.4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“You’ve been the leader of this, assisting President Trump in building this wall in these tough areas,” Bannon said to Kolfage.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><aside data-pp-id="6" data-pp-blocktype="promo" class="promo large left" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.625rem 0px; padding: 1rem 120.188px; border-width: 1px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(216, 214, 211); border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 214, 211); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; float: none; clear: left; width: 808.125px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><h3 class="aside-head" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3; vertical-align: baseline;">[Read More</h3><div class="story-entry section-articles" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="description" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 class="hed" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3; vertical-align: baseline; text-indent: inherit; text-transform: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/he-built-a-privately-funded-border-wall-its-already-at-risk-of-falling-down-if-not-fixed" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration-line: none;">He Built a Privately Funded Border Wall. It’s Already at Risk of Falling Down if Not Fixed.</a></h4><p class="dek" style="font-weight: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.375rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-indent: inherit; text-transform: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit;">Trump supporters funded a private border wall on the banks of the Rio Grande, helping the builder secure $1.7 billion in federal contracts. Now the “Lamborghini” of border walls is in danger of falling into the river if nothing is done, experts say.</div></div></aside><p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">Bannon was arrested on Thursday by federal agents in Connecticut while on board a superyacht owned by wealthy Chinese businessman Guo Wengui. Guo also <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/steve-bannon-guo-wengui-private-jet-campaign-finance-law" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">allowed Bannon</a> to use his private jet to fly around promoting Republican congressional candidates in 2018, an arrangement that experts said could run afoul of campaign finance laws banning foreign donations.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bannon and his lawyers did not return emails from ProPublica requesting comment. He <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/stephen-bannon-arrested-charged/2020/08/20/6d46847c-e2ea-11ea-b69b-64f7b0477ed4_story.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">told reporters</a> after posting bond that the indictment was a “fiasco” to “stop people who want to build the wall.” On Friday, Kolfage wrote on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Brian.Kolfage.jr" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook page</a> that the indictment is a “witch hunt” and the work of a “weaponized judicial system” trying to take down Trump insiders.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kolfage did not return an email from ProPublica for comment after the indictment. On Thursday, Trump continued to distance himself from We Build the Wall, telling reporters that he thought “it was done for showboating reasons” and that he didn’t know that Bannon was linked to the group. A spokesperson for Trump told Fox News that the president did not know the other people involved with the project.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">Citizens of the American Republic raised around $4.5 million in 2018, according to its <a href="https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2020/01/29/COAR2018Form990PublicDisclosureCopy.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">tax filings</a>, most of which came through six- and seven-figure donations from just a handful of donors, whose names are not disclosed. A single donor gave $2 million. The group’s purpose is to “educate the American people” about issues including “economic nationalism,” “social policy and respect for traditional American values” and “America First foreign policy,” among other issues, according to the filing.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The group’s <a href="https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/823509136_201712_990EO_2018082115604556.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">first filings</a>, for the 2017 tax year, show no donations to the nonprofit. The 2018 tax filings show transactions that occurred prior to the timeline covered in the federal indictment.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.5" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As a “social welfare” nonprofit organized under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, the organization is not required to disclose its donors. The contact number listed on the group’s tax forms belongs to its accountant, Robert Watkins, who did not return a message requesting comment.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.6" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The organization made just $15,000 in grants in 2018. The filings show $250,000 in loans and payments to Bannon’s film company and $40,000 in payments to Bannon’s nephew, Sean.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><aside data-pp-id="8" data-pp-blocktype="promo" class="promo small right" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 8.29688px 0px 33.2344px 33.2344px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; float: right; clear: right; width: 327.328px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><h3 class="aside-head" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.625rem 0px 0px; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(216, 214, 211); border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3; vertical-align: baseline;">Read More</h3><div class="story-entry section-articles" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1rem 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="lead-art" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative;">
</div><div class="description" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 class="hed" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-indent: inherit; text-transform: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/steve-bannon-guo-wengui-private-jet-campaign-finance-law" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration-line: none;">Steve Bannon’s Use of Private Jet Linked to Chinese Businessman Could Violate Campaign Finance Law</a></h4><p class="dek" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-indent: inherit; text-transform: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit;">The former Trump adviser used a plane apparently owned by businessman Guo Wengui. Americans are barred from receiving services for campaigns donated by foreign nationals.</div></div></aside><p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="9.0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">Bannon is the group’s president and is described as working 80 hours a week for the group with no salary. His sister Mary E. Meredith, who is vice president, earned $20,000 for her 40 hours per week of work. Meredith did not respond to messages requesting comment. Other top officials are Dan Fleuette, a longtime Bannon associate, and lawyer Cleta Mitchell. Fleuette did not respond to a LinkedIn message requesting an interview.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="9.1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mitchell has served on the boards of several right-leaning nonprofits, including the National Rifle Association and the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, led by Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore. She declined an interview request.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="9.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">The filings show more than $1.1 million flowing out of the nonprofit to various large vendors, although the nature of their work is unclear. Nearly $850,000 went toward travel, and more than $1.4 million to “conferences, conventions and meetings.” The filing says that Citizens of the American Republic funded two Bannon documentaries, about the 2016 campaign and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and paid for promoting them.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="9.3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In 2018, Citizens of the American Republic paid nearly $144,000 to a company called Platinum Advertising Corporation for “websites/social media.” The address given for Platinum Advertising in the filing, 30 N. Gould St., Suite R, in Sheridan, Wyoming, is the same address as the medical supplies company Kolfage formed, America First Medical.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="9.4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">Wyoming has particularly lax business transparency laws, and Platinum Advertising appears to be a shell corporation. Its secretary is listed in <a href="https://wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?eFNum=059000168148210110228055038201108214186047063162" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">state filings</a> as Gerald Pitts, the founder and president of Wyoming Corporate Services, which specializes in incorporating businesses to shield assets from taxation or disclosure. A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/oukwd-uk-usa-shell-companies-idAFTRE75R22L20110628" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">2011 investigation by Reuters</a> found that Pitts was listed as “a director, president or principal for at least 41 companies” registered at a single address in Wyoming.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pitts did not respond to an email requesting comment.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A second company paid by Citizens of the American Republic, Fortress FM, received more than $191,000 in 2018 for “security, logistics, and training.” The company address listed on the 2018 filing is a post office box in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that is also used by a firm of accountants, <a href="https://wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?eFNum=122154231174036130134174207190125222097062022097" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Kercher-Jarrett LLC</a>.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">T. Gary Kercher and Wayne Jarrett, who are listed on Kercher-Jarrett LLC’s business filings, did not respond to messages requesting comment.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the charges Bannon is facing is that of conspiring to commit money laundering. The <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/2018NMLRA_12-18.pdf" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">2018 National Money Laundering Risk Assessment</a>, prepared by the departments of Treasury, Justice and Homeland Security and U.S. regulatory agencies, noted the risks presented by a lax approach to shell corporations.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The ease with which companies can be incorporated under state law, and how little information is generally required about the company’s owners or activities, raises concerns about a lack of transparency,” the report said.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.5" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kolfage worked with Fisher Industries, a North Dakota-based construction firm, to help build the two border fences. We Build the Wall funded the construction of one stretch of border fence in New Mexico, near El Paso, Texas, and contributed 5% of funds for Fisher to build a $42 million fence along the banks of the Rio Grande south of Mission, Texas.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.6" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/he-built-a-privately-funded-border-wall-its-already-at-risk-of-falling-down-if-not-fixed" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">A ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigation</a> found that the Rio Grande Valley project suffered from major erosion just months after it was finished. Engineers warned that could result in segments of the fence toppling into the river if not fixed. Fisher Industries’ CEO has dismissed the concerns and said that he will fix any problems.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.7" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite criticism of the wall-building project from the president, his administration has awarded Tommy Fisher, CEO of Fisher Industries, about $2 billion worth of federal contracts to build segments of the border wall for the government — at least two of them while a federal audit over concerns of “inappropriate influence” by the president is pending.<p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.8" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Fisher’s attorney told ProPublica and the Tribune that his client has not received any other money beyond the construction funding provided and has no other business with We Build the Wall.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.625; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div class="bottom-notes" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="note contributor-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/perla-trevizo" style="font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">Perla Trevizo</a> and <a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/kirsten-berg" style="font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">Kirsten Berg</a> contributed reporting.</div></div>=</div><div></div><div>after bannon bust? or at least barr knew about sdny AG</div><div>
</div><div><div>" i disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads. It was only done to make me look bad, and perhsps it now doesn’t even work. Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles.</div><div>
</div><div>Jeremy Schwartz</div><div>@JinATX</div><div>UPDATE: Experts to inspect a controversial privately built border wall following a federal court hearing this am. Govt attorney identified 4 areas of problematic erosion along the base of the fence and the banks of the Rio Grande. Fisher attorney promises fixes, but vague on plan </div></div><div></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, former Breitbart News Chairman Steve Bannon became the latest ally of President Donald Trump to face criminal charges when federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York indicted him for allegedly defrauding donors to the “We Build the Wall” project. Bannon and his associates raised over $25 million in a crowdfunding campaign, but Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss alleges that they didn’t use the money for the construction of a U.S./Mexico border wall like they promised. Never Trump conservative and CNN pundit Amanda Carpenter, in an <a href="https://thebulwark.com/bannon-grifter-indictment-more-steel-bracelets-for-team-trump/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 191, 165); transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer;">article published by The Bulwark</a> on August 20, stresses that Bannon’s arrest shouldn’t be viewed as an anomaly, but as a pattern of widespread corruption and criminality in Trumpworld.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Oh, what a summer it’s been for those salt-of-the-earth, God-fearing, Second Amendment-protecting, border-defending members of President Trump’s circle of trusted advisers,” Carpenter says with biting sarcasm. “You know, the people who are working day and night to protect your rights from the evil, money-sucking swamp monsters of Washington, D.C.? Well, if you believe that, you’re probably the perfect mark for the next grifter campaign led by another one of Trump’s con men.”<p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Carpenter goes on to say that Bannon, who served as White House communications director in the Trump Administration in 2017, is only the latest Trump ally to “get fitted with a free pair of steel bracelets.” The others, Carpenter notes, have ranged from veteran GOP operative Roger Stone to Paul Manafort (Trump’s 2016 campaign manager) to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/17/rick-gates-former-trump-campaign-aide-sentenced-to-jail-probation.html" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 191, 165); transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer;">Rick Gates</a> (his deputy campaign chairman in 2016) to Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Bannon is going to be spending a lot of time with his lawyers this fall because prosecutors at the Southern District of New York allege he participated in a scheme to bilk people who wanted to privately fund the border wall,” Carpenter explains. “Under the premise of an online crowdfunding group, We Build The Wall, he helped rack up more than $25 million in donations from donors who were told, according to the indictment, that the founders would ‘not take a penny in salary or compensation.’”<div class="alt_ad_block true_ad_free story-page-in-content-graph-4" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="alt_ad_msg" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 10px; background: rgb(234, 234, 234);"><div class="header" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); text-align: center;">AD REMOVED FOR SUBSCRIBED USER</div></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Carpenter adds that Bannon’s We Build the Wall colleague Brain Kolfage, the indictment alleges, “used the money for home renovations, a boat, a luxury SUV, a golf cart, jewelry, cosmetic surgery, personal tax payments and credit card debt.”<p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“They’re grifters — and like magnets, they have a strange way of attracting other grifters,” Carpenter writes. “President Trump is like a galactic electromagnet that brings grifters together into a self-collapsing black hole of suckage.”<p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Carpenter wraps up her article with a sarcastic reference to Mike J. Lindell, the Trump ally and My Pillow founder who has been touting oleandrin — which comes from the poisonous oleander plant — as a coronavirus miracle cure and was recently denounced as a “<a href="https://www.alternet.org/2020/08/like-a-snake-oil-salesman-cnns-anderson-cooper-demolishes-mypillow-guy-over-his-and-trumps-new-favorite/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 191, 165); transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; cursor: pointer;">snake oil salesman</a>” by CNN’s Anderson Cooper.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.8; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: Cabin, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Oh, and while you have your wallet out, can I interest you in My Pillow Guy’s white oleander COVID cure?,” Carpenter writes. “There’s still time to get in on the ground level of the next big scheme.”</div><div></div><div>
</div><div><a href="https://www.alternet.org/2020/07/trump-says-he-disagreed-with-privately-funded-border-wall-but-his-administration-awarded-the-builder-1-7-billion-for-more-walls/">https://www.alternet.org/2020/07/trump-says-he-disagreed-with-privately-funded-border-wall-but-his-administration-awarded-the-builder-1-7-billion-for-more-walls/</a></div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">720 mma  </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="yiv9070058077stylingblock-content-wrapper" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv9070058077stylingblock-content-margin-cell" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px; word-break: normal; border-collapse: collapse;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="yiv9070058077stylingblock-content-wrapper" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; background-color: transparent; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv9070058077stylingblock-content-wrapper yiv9070058077camarker-inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: normal; border-collapse: collapse;"><h2 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1;"><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://click.e.mediamatters.org/?qs=f6e278dd6e2a6c7a0330450cdc77e595d2bda863ddb7d7047d02f9547b56cbe27b2d71fef0120fda09c3319dfb6b45a866647fae7e2a8c79" title="A CEO won $1.7 billion in border wall contracts using the Trump-Fox feedback loop. His last wall project reportedly could collapse."> CEO won $1.7 billion in border wall contracts using the Trump-Fox feedback loop. His last wall project reportedly could collapse.</a></h2></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="yiv9070058077stylingblock-content-wrapper" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv9070058077stylingblock-content-wrapper yiv9070058077camarker-inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px; word-break: normal; border-collapse: collapse;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 31px;">The lesson here is simple: Don't hand out federal contracts based on who catches President Trump's eye on Fox News.Tommy Fisher <a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="http://click.e.mediamatters.org/?qs=f6e278dd6e2a6c7aec8c636c60f3ca9799343570e9cc87ca71ace9b05d9dc72a297686ba1a41b97c15f4b13bec1b74854853a1bcf42b3054" title="received">received</a> over a billion dollars in federal contracts for his construction company to build sections of Trump's wall by appealing directly to the president in appearances on Fox News. As we've previously reported in this space, Fisher made at least 11 appearances on Fox to claim that he could build the wall faster and cheaper than anyone else. It worked: He got $1.7 billion in federal contracts because Trump had seen his appearances on Fox -- including what was reportedly the largest border wall contract ever awarded.And now, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://click.e.mediamatters.org/?qs=f6e278dd6e2a6c7a7b97f4222e5dc053e76d99a8c05693ef958c2a4cd05f9d301faa0030b800ac6d5341b43f9959ccdf69cbb3ed5af0b6f2" title="a new report">a new report</a> by ProPublica reveals that a private wall project of Fisher's shows signs of "runoff erosion" and is in danger of collapsing into the Rio Grande, with experts saying that it was built far too close to the river.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div></div></div>