US GOP lawmakers plan to look into GoFundMe after it shut down Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser

• Truckers known as the “Freedom Convoy” have been occupying Ottawa, Canada for about a week to protest against the vaccine mandate.
• They have raised over C$10 million on GoFundMe but the platform shut down the fundraiser after “reports of violence and other unlawful activity.”
• U.S. GOP lawmakers threatened to investigate the platform for alleged “deceptive trade practice” and becoming “the enforcement arm of government authoritarians.”

GoFundMe received backlash from U.S. Republican lawmakers after it shut down the fundraiser for the Freedom Convoy, an ongoing protest against Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truckers.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called the government officials’ efforts to suppress the protest an “abuse of power.”

Cruz stated, “That abuse of power was compounded when GoFundMe at the explicit behest of the Canadian government tried to effectively steal $10 million that had been raised to support the Canadian truckers.”

Truckers have been occupying downtown Ottawa for over a week to protest against the vaccine mandate and other public health measures.

The convoy managed to raise over C$10 million on GoFundMe, but the platform shut it down on Friday after “police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.”

The platform initially informed donors that they would accept refund requests, otherwise it would redirect the fund to other charities. They later allowed automatic refunds after receiving backlash from U.S. Republican officials.

Cruz argued, “GoFundMe backed down when the public outrage was so great, but for Big Tech oligarchs to be willing to be the enforcement arm of government authoritarians is extraordinarily dangerous.”

Cruz sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission on Sunday to demand an investigation into GoFundMe”s alleged “deceptive trade practice.”

The FTC is yet to provide a statement.

Other Republican officials, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, pledged to look into it.

DeSantis tweeted on Saturday, “I will work with [Attorney General Ashley Moody] to investigate these deceptive practices — these donors should be given a refund.” 

Paxton declared on Saturday, “This BLM-backing company went woke, froze the funds, & failed to deliver Texans’ money.” He declared that he has “assembled a team” to look into the platform’s potential violations to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

He added that the investigation’s aim is “to protect Texas consumers so that they know where their hard-earned money is going,” instead of allowing the platform to divert funds without donors’ consent.

The Freedom Convoy quickly regrouped by relaunching its fundraiser on GiveSendGo, which describes itself as the “#1 Free Christian Crowdfunding Site.” They have raised over C$8 million so far.

Their protest has been quickly growing thanks to several donations. Most of the donations have come from supporters in the U.S., which opened up the idea that a similar protest could happen in the country.

Cruz called the Freedom Convoy “a remarkable uprising and … a manifestation of the deep outrage across Canada and across the United States.”

The Texas Senator added, “I think it would be a very good thing if the protest expands.”

Source: POLITICO