Capitol riot suspects ramped up donations to Trump after his election defeat

[UpInArms]

Source: NBC News

After President Donald Trump lost re-election, he immediately began asking his supporters for money, a plea that he insisted was necessary to bankroll his fight built on the false claim that the election was stolen through rampant fraud.

James Uptmore, like hundreds of other people, opened his wallet. Weeks later, he was among those who stormed the U.S. Capitol, federal prosecutors say.

... snip ...

Uptmore, 63, of San Antonio, made just a single $250 donation to a Trump PAC between Trump's first run for president and the 2020 election, according to the Federal Election Commission. That all changed in the weeks after the Nov. 3 election.

On Nov. 15, the day Trump wrote on Twitter that he would not concede, Uptmore made five contributions to the president and his aligned groups. Three days later, when Trump tweeted, "I WON THE ELECTION. VOTER FRAUD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY," Uptmore made four more donations.

The next day, Uptmore made four more donations as Trump's attorneys held a news conference spreading wild conspiracies about the vote. And on Dec. 18 — when Trump tweeted at Republican senators to "FIGHT FOR IT. Don't let them take it away!" — Uptmore made six such contributions.

In total, Uptmore would make nearly 40 donations to Trump, the RNC and aligned groups after Trump's loss. And on Jan. 6, federal prosecutors allege, he and his son, Chance, were among the crowd that illegally breached the Capitol.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/capitol-riot-suspects-ramped-donations-trump-after-his-election-defeat-n1261431

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. I know I could look it up, but how much did Uptmore give in total? NT

[UpInArms]

2. The article does not give a dollar amount

It merely says:

The donations shed light on the political activities and leanings of the people accused in the riot — and on the effectiveness of Trump's post-election messaging, which has netted him hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions, many from small-dollar donors like those accused of storming the Capitol.

And it is not available on open secrets.org

All that says is:

Small Individual Contributions (< $200) $378,084,012 48.83%

[Martin68]

9. I don't know why that would surprise anyone. They invaded the Capitol to help Trump steal

the election. Of course they would donate to Trump's cause.

[oldsoftie]

3. Bet he wishes he had that money back NOW. Guess who ISNT going to help HIM??

[ancianita]

4. trumpcult believes in the grievance grift as donating for 'the cause' -- they will double down

and not give up. In jail they will call themselves political prisoners.

[not fooled]

10. Hmmmmmmmm where have we heard that before?

Fighting on for "the cause."

The south rises again...to take red don's bait.

[ancianita]

11. Of course. I hear you. But if they WANT to believe, what can be done to change their minds,

because they don't believe it's bait. They want to believe they're part of, and united in, a cause.

"Truth isn't truth," as Giuliani said. They believe truth is what you make it. You make it by consensus.

What can convince trump messengers like Bannon who say, "we don't have to prove anything, all we have to do is get people to believe."

Trump and his message-masseurs have made voters believe he's sincere, that he's "on their side," and so he believes it, too.

Anyone with a map of reality knows it's crazy, but I can understand how people (e.g., religious groups, as he plays to them, too) can create their own reality by consensus.

[not fooled]

13. Wow

your post is true...and scary.

And they can live in their delusional shared reality for a while, until e.g. climate change and Covid intrude, sooner or later no matter how long they deny. And, we are still in the "sooner" phase when they can wish major natural forces away.

[ancianita]

14. And

no matter what happens, it won't just be for a while, imo, when 74 million voters can still withstand any realities that climate change's "major natural forces" throw at them. Why? Because they don't want to think, just follow what their belief managers tell them to believe, even causes worth invading the Capitol for, or blowing up people, or randomly shooting people.

It's crazy, but unattached to factual realities, their internal consensus is what makes them believe they are rational.

We know better. Sure, there are many realities across the planet that we're not even aware of, but if they're fact-based, we still understand those realities -- like microbes and the microbial sciences -- and so do people across the world.

[bamagal62]

5. DA.

[NCjack]

6. MAGAts are perfect suckers who will continue to donate.

They will die before demanding their money be refunded.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Rewarding failure is the Republican Way

They feel sorry for billionaires!

[MissMillie]

8. I hope the taxpayers aren't footing the bill for his attorney (n/t)

.

[Warpy]

12. Giving money to a guy who says he's a billionaire

Now that is some kind of stupid.

[Skittles]

15. the stupidity of these people is absolutely staggering

they cannot recognize what is very CLEARLY a fucking CON MAN