FACT BRIEF

Did some organizers of the rally that preceded the Capitol riot have ties to the Trump campaign?

Monday, January 25, 2021

By Stevie Rosignol-Cortez

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YES

Several organizers of the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the riot at the Capitol have financial ties to the Trump campaign. As reported by the Associated Press, the rally was staged by a group called Women for America First. Several of the facilitators listed on the group’s permit application were also on the 2020 Trump campaign’s payroll or served as consultants, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures tracked by Open Secrets. They included Maggie Mulvaney, the rally’s “VIP lead”; Megan Powers, an operations manager for both the rally and the Trump campaign; Caroline Wren, the rally's VIP advisor, and Ronald Holden, the rally’s backstage manager.

Trump’s reelection campaign stated that “it did not organize, operate, or finance” the protest, and that if any former employees or contractors for the campaign took part, it was not at the campaign's direction.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

National Park Service: Public gathering permit, Women for America First (coordinators names, p. 31)

AP News: Trump allies behind rally that ignited Capitol riot

Open Secrets: Shell companies and ‘dark money’ may hide details of Trump ties to DC protests

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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.