A criminal investigation is underway in Florida, targeting a private group that says it will build Donald Trump’s wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Group, WeBuildTheWall Inc., is a tax-exempt “social welfare organization” registered in Florida that has raised more than $23 million via a GoFundMe campaign. (Building a barrier along the entire border is estimated to cost nearly $60 Billion.)
WeBuildTheWall was founded by Brian Kolfage, a decorated veteran severely wounded in Iraq, “with a history of profiting from fake and conspiratorial websites,” says Buzzfeed News.
It has already erected a half-mile section of wall on what it says is private land in southern New Mexico. That work was stopped when officials in the town of Sunland Park said the project violated local zoning laws.
The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) also accused the group of not obtaining needed work permits, and said at least part of the wall is on federal land.
Plus, the government of Mexico says some portion of the wall is on Mexican territory.
On Twitter, Kolfage said the group had “planned for battle” and rushed the project during a holiday weekend “when the corrupt city [Sunland Park] was partying,” says Buzzfeed, adding that Kolfage’s tweet was later deleted.
“After being told to stop work, WeBuildTheWall used its social media accounts to bully local officials. Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea said he got death threats,” says DCReport, which firest reported the criminal investigation on Wednesday.
Contacted by Buzzfeed, Kolfage insisted there is no criminal investigation.
While the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services refused comment on the report, it did so citing a state law barring it from releasing records due to an “active criminal investigation,” Buzzfeed says.
DCReport notes that 10 days ago, Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, spoke at a 3-day WeBuildTheWall event in New Mexico.
Among those attending were former White House senior adviser Steve Bannon, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), and David Bossie, the president of Citizens United.
“Bossie’s appearance was curious since, in May, the Trump 2020 campaign seemed to distance itself from Bossie and his organization, which promotes dark money in politics,” DCReport says. “However, since then the Trump campaign has indicated it is seeking big money and dark money.”
Previously there have been suggestions that the nonprofit was being used for fundraising on behalf of its board members, which include former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
Kobach, who worked to purge Kansas voter rolls over minor issues, “appears to have violated multiple federal and state election laws by using the wall group’s donor list to solicit campaign contributions,” says DCReport.
