National Butterfly Center closes after repeated threats stemming from false sex-trafficking claims

[DBoon]

The National Butterfly Center in South Texas will be closed “for the immediate future” because of baseless attacks stemming from a clash over immigration enforcement at the nearby U.S.-Mexico border, the organization said Wednesday.

The nonprofit center in Mission has endured a firestorm in recent years amid an ongoing lawsuit against the former Trump administration, which sought to build part of a border wall on its property, and the fundraising organization We Build the Wall. Right-wing groups have falsely claimed the butterfly center illegally smuggles people into the United States and facilitates sex trafficking.

Leadership of the 100-acre butterfly preserve said they chose to shut their doors out of concern for the safety of visitors and their staff, whom they will continue to pay.
...
Another lawsuit filed by the butterfly center asserts that Brian Kolfage, We Build the Wall’s founder, defamed and disparaged the preserve in 2019 tweets accusing the organization of human trafficking. Kolfage and Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, were later indicted over accusations that they defrauded donors by taking compensation from the We Build the Wall campaign.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/02/03/texas-butterfly-center-conspiracy-harassment/

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Putin is pretty clearly winning ... just saying (nt)

[Deuxcents]

2. This is a real shame

These good folks have been thru hell w/ the wall shit n harassment while only trying to do good. Someone w/ some influence should step up n help.