‘Possibly illegal behavior’: Ashley Moody blasts GoFundMe after Freedom Convoy flip-flop

Ashley Moody
"Gov. DeSantis was completely right in calling out that nonsense."

On Sunday’s Fox and Friends, Florida’s Attorney General stood with supporters of the Canadian anti-vax “Freedom Convoy” against the GoFundMe service, suggesting that what the fundraising platform contemplated this weekend could have been illegal.

Ashley Moody told a Fox News audience that she and Gov. Ron DeSantis will not tolerate threats, such as that made by GoFundMe, not to distribute funds to causes it doesn’t support such as the “Freedom Convoy,” a group of Canadian truckers protesting the country’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The service threatened to redistribute the donations made to the truckers, freezing them on Friday, before deciding Saturday to reverse course and refund all donations.

Moody was incensed Sunday regardless.

“Think about what occurred here. You have a business that essentially makes money off people, out of the goodness of their hearts, wanting to contribute to a cause that’s important to them. You have a big business that encourages that. They take a percentage,” Moody said.

“They make money when folks raise money through their platform. And then, without any notice to anyone, and no donor knows this before they make a contribution, they’re going to make some political judgement that they think this isn’t a worthy cause anymore, and just shut down after raising millions of dollars,” Moody added.

“Folks wanted to help in this protest against heavy-handed government as people historically have done when government has tried to overreach and take away the freedoms of its people. People push back peacefully. And you have a business here that makes money off of people wanting to donate to that, and they just shut it down,” Moody asserted.

DeSantis had blasted the service Saturday, threatening action: “It is a fraud for Go Fund Me to commandeer $9M in donations sent to support truckers and give it to causes of their own choosing. I will work with AG Moody to investigate these deceptive practices — these donors should be given a refund.”

Moody endorsed the Governor’s tough talk Sunday.

“Gov. DeSantis was completely right in calling out that nonsense, possibly illegal behavior,” Moody said.

Moody noted also that the service had no problem funneling donations to groups like Black Lives Matter and the short-lived Seattle “CHOP” movement that sought to impose an autonomous zone in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

“They even sent out a separate tweet themselves to encourage people to donate to their cause,” Moody said, before lauding the Governor for his “effective and timely” decision to “call that out.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


11 comments

  • politics

    February 6, 2022 at 10:34 am

    People can compensate anyone Just can not break laws.under the constitution

  • politics

    February 6, 2022 at 10:45 am

    discrimination law suit for fund me

  • nail

    February 6, 2022 at 11:35 am

    Another piece of red meat for the cult.
    Go Fund Me was getting overwhelmed for refunds, when they announced they were calling the “Freedom Convoy in Canada” because it was not a peaceful protest but an obstruction of epic proportions. Due to private neighborhoods that the convoy decided to block the govt called for it to end and the funds would stopped going to the “organization”. They announced all refunds that were not requested would be distributed to approved charities. Go Fund Me announced that the CC refunds would be automatic, no need to call.

    Statement from Go Fund Me:
    “However, due to donor feedback, we are simplifying the process. We will automatically refund all contributions directly — donors do not need to submit a request. You can expect to see your refund within 7–10 business days.”

    Acceptable payment is a Credit Card to the site so reversal is easy. There are some checks, and the form on the Go Fund Me page will need to be filled out and sent in.
    This has been the standard format for refunds and checks under their Terms of Service since the page started.

    Of course Desantis found a perfect opportunity to twist the situation and call his dogs.
    Go Fund Me had already announced this on Friday 2.4.2022.
    On Saturday 2.5.2022 Desantis threw the meat to the bottom of the barrel base he has. The insurrectionist, the violent and the call to action groups, responded.
    He called for all concerned AG’s to rally against the company, that DeSantis and AG Moody (you remember DeSantis’ lap dog) would investigate, with Florida taxpayer money. DeSantis has nothing better to do in Florida than cross another border, Canada, and start trouble were there was no trouble.
    Florida has 68 hate groups (all DeSantis voters) white supremacists and assorted nationalist. Last weekend his Neo-Nazi group assaulted a Jewish person, dragged him out of his car and beat him. DeSantis’ press secretary said ” do we even know if they are Nazi’s”. Bear in mind that as they were stand in front of a shopping center the had the Israeli flag and were stomping it in the mud, nazi unigforms were worn by all, harassing ppl walking in stores and they were using the nazi salute to every car passing by.
    DeSantis did not weigh in on the rally until he was asked about it Monday, when he focused on Democrats. He said “Democrats were using the rally to “smear” him.”
    Like trump, we are never to expect an apology for incompetence, inaction or innocuous answers. Or even a “sorry this will never happen again.” We should expect a leader of Florida to respond and take responsibility. But again, we are subjected to the words meant for the dwindling trumplican cult and not the 87% of the normal voters of Florida.
    Florida has no leadership, the GQP has chosen their side in a formal announcement. They are no longer a political party but extremist organization that support insurrection, violence and the attempted coup, Trump their leader, instigated on Jan 6.

    • John

      February 6, 2022 at 12:17 pm

      Nail, what a nonsensical screed you have composed here. Good luck with everything.

      • Angela Siegfried

        February 6, 2022 at 2:54 pm

        You only attack the messenger when you’ve got nothing.

        • Michael Bolstad

          February 8, 2022 at 8:33 am

          lol the fact that that person had the much amount of time to post that drivel should concern you…. Nail wake up to the times we can see right thru u. No one agrees with ur drivel give it up leftie…

    • Angela

      February 6, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      “They are no longer a political party but extremist organization that support insurrection, violence and the attempted coup, Trump their leader, instigated on Jan 6.”
      And now the coup attempt in Canada….There is also a flyer going around for truckers to “ban” the Super Bowl.

    • Pit

      February 10, 2022 at 8:53 pm

      You got nail in yot brain dude.

  • Phil Morton

    February 8, 2022 at 9:11 am

    40 arrests, 60 criminal investigations and hundreds of tickets issued would suggest that this is not a “peaceful” demonstration. As Florida’s top law enforcement officer, you would think that Moody would support fellow law enforcement officers. GoFundMe does not support racism and hate.

  • Jonny

    February 9, 2022 at 6:40 am

    ‘GoFundMe does not support racism and hate’
    Except it does, blm, blah blah blah. What is with the love for segregation and fuelling race hate?
    Idiots

  • Rob

    February 10, 2022 at 12:36 pm

    I read a lot of allegations from far left. Gofundme does not “support” anybody. It is donation by people. Gofundme is just a distributor.
    If a cause is illegal then let a judge ORDER them to remove the page and FULLY refund all the money. Without a Judge order whatever we say is “personal” opinion.
    Or Gofundme can register as a PAC and declare its political bias.
    People posting “racist” does not make the truckers racist. It just shows the bias of the one accusing others. Nobody is a “Criminal” without a conviction.
    Radicals are those who scream racist without proof. They are the ones who are the real threat to a free society. By trying to impose their idea of justice on others.

Comments are closed.


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