Up until the aftermath of last weeks murders in Charleston by Dylann Storm Roof and the discovery of Roof's blog, many Americans had likely never heard of the Council of Conservative Citizens ("CCC") even though it has regularly had Republicans and hate merchants like FRC's Tony Perkins address its meetings. Sadly, CCC and groups like it represents a growing faction within the GOP base. A faction that Republican candidates often court through dog whistle racist statements. Now, it turns out that CCC's president has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republican candidates, including presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Rick Santorum. The Guardian looks at the situation. Here are highlights:
The leader of a rightwing group that Dylann Roof allegedly credits with helping to radicalise him against black people before the Charleston church massacre has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans such as presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Rick Santorum.
Earl Holt has given $65,000 to Republican campaign funds in recent years while inflammatory remarks – including that black people were “the laziest, stupidest and most criminally-inclined race in the history of the world” – were posted online in his name.
After being approached by the Guardian on Sunday, Cruz’s presidential campaign said it would be returning all money the senator had received from Holt.
Holt, 62, is the president of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC), a Missouri-based activist organisation cited by the author of a manifesto-style text that was posted on a website registered in Roof’s name along with photographs of the gunman. The FBI said on Saturday it was investigating the website.
Holt said it was “not surprising” that Roof was apparently informed by the group’s website as it reported race relations “accurately and honestly”. However, he added: “The CofCC is hardly responsible for the actions of this deranged individual merely because he gleaned accurate information from our website.”
Holt has since 2012 contributed $8,500 to Cruz, the Texas senator running for the Republican presidential nomination, and his Jobs, Growth and Freedom Fund political action committee, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings. On some filings Holt’s occupation was listed as “slumlord”.
He has also given $1,750 to RandPAC, the political action committee of Paul, the Kentucky senator and presidential contender, and he gave $2,000 to the 2012 presidential campaign of Mitt Romney. . . . . A further $1,500 was donated by Holt to Santorum . .
Holt has also distributed tens of thousands in campaign contributions among prominent Republicans in congress, such as Representative Steve King of Iowa ($2,000), Se
nator Tom Cotton of Arkansas ($1,500) and Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona ($1,000). He also gave $3,200 to the former Minnesota congresswoman and presidential candidate Michele Bachmann.
See the full article for some of the foul propaganda Holt disseminates. One truly needs to consider what these Republicans truly stand for if Holt is so willing to give money to them.. In my view, all are extremists and push a conservative - read subtly racist - right wing agenda and believe that only white conservative Christians are "real Americans.".
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