Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Border wall GoFundMe may need to issue refunds after millions raised
NY Post ^ | 12/20/18 | Marisa Schultz

Posted on 12/21/2018 12:07:13 AM PST by Revel

A grassroots online campaign to fund President Trump’s proposed border wall roared past $8.7 million on Thursday, but questions remained about whether the feds would be able to accept the gift.

As of Thursday evening, 143,821 people had donated $8,742,182 toward Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage’s GoFundMe campaign, titled We the People Will Fund the Wall, just a little over three days after its launch.

The pledge drive aims to raise $1 billion to “uphold our laws, and get this wall BUILT!” Kolfage, a Purple Heart recipient who lost both legs and an arm in Iraq, wrote on the campaign’s Web page. “It’s up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling.”

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a longtime proponent of tighter border security, hailed the vet’s “impressive” campaign, even as he expressed reservations about allowing private citizens to govern with their wallets.

“I think it’s admirable, and I think that the country should respond,” Goodlatte told The Post. “Obviously, we can’t let citizens raise money and say, ‘The government will spend my money on this purpose.’ ”

According to the Treasury Department, general donations to the feds are directed to a “Gifts to the United States” fund, set aside for “general use” by the federal government or “budget needs.”

Specific federal agencies can’t touch this funding without a congressional appropriation.

Some agencies can accept gifts directly for earmarked purposes, but it was not clear if the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the borders, was among them.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; News/Current Events; US: New York; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: aliens; bobgoodlatte; borderwall; briankolfage; buildthewall; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; dsj02; gofundme; kolfage; marisaschultz; mediawingofthednc; newyork; newyorkcity; newyorkcompost; newyorkpost; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; smearmachine; virginia; wall
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-132 next last
To: Revel
https://www.gofundme.com/TheTrumpWall $11,527,885 of $1.0B goal ..........................
81 posted on 12/21/2018 6:45:17 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ScottinVA

“Can’t the private landowners whose property is along the border agree to private wall construction?”

Not only that, but the Kelo v. City of New London emninent domain SCOTUS decicion would likely allow private wall construction to go forward anyway through private companies even if they don’t agree. I believe authorization for wall construction would already be approved through the secure fence act that George W Bush signed. So it shouldn’t matter if funds went directly to private contractors.


82 posted on 12/21/2018 6:46:23 AM PST by ScottfromNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Revel

If nothing else, it sends a very loud message to the congress and senate.


83 posted on 12/21/2018 6:48:25 AM PST by No Socialist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
$11,550,513 of $1.0B goal

Raised by 189,782 people in 4 days

https://www.gofundme.com/TheTrumpWall

84 posted on 12/21/2018 6:49:08 AM PST by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: Revel

An antique form of “crowdfunding” restored both The USS Constitution and The Statue of Liberty.

There IS a precedent, and the money should be accepted.


85 posted on 12/21/2018 6:54:35 AM PST by left that other site (For America to have CONFIDENCE in our future, we must have PRIDE in our HISTORY... DJT)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Presbyterian Reporter

“I think this article may be intended to discourage donations and downplay the success of the campaign because it’s embarrassing to the anti-wall congress critters.”

You are correct. The Democrats, RINO’s, and the Media will be working overtime to discourage people from making a contribution.”

And I’m a bit concerned why, with the dozens of articles out there, this one makes it into “Breaking News”


86 posted on 12/21/2018 6:57:00 AM PST by traderrob6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Revel
“I think it’s admirable, and I think that the country should respond,” Goodlatte told The Post. “Obviously, we can’t let citizens raise money and say, ‘The government will spend my money on this purpose.’ ”

So nice of republicans to step right up and explain why something can't be done. Saves the dems the trouble.

87 posted on 12/21/2018 7:04:03 AM PST by TimSkalaBim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Revel

Black robed POS marxist/communist/leftist federal judge to claim “unconstitutional” in 3...2...1


88 posted on 12/21/2018 7:05:14 AM PST by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: No Socialist
If nothing else, it sends a very loud message to the congress and senate.

There aren't enough hearing aids in the world to get them to listen. They ignore us.

89 posted on 12/21/2018 7:08:57 AM PST by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: Erik Latranyi

“I would not want liberals raising money to do their own government activity.”

Like building concentration camps and gas chambers...

(Which you KNOW they want to build.)


90 posted on 12/21/2018 7:21:06 AM PST by moovova
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Revel

The key word in the title of the article is “May”. On the other hand, the Gofundme guy may not. We’ll see.


91 posted on 12/21/2018 7:29:24 AM PST by excalibur21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Gofundme gets a “tip” of minimum 10%.They have good reason not to pull the plug.


92 posted on 12/21/2018 7:31:24 AM PST by Chaguito
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: traderrob6

It was allocated for governmental use, not private .
Thanks for using all caps, as I couldn’t have understood otherwise...


93 posted on 12/21/2018 7:45:09 AM PST by EEGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Chaguito

Not true. You can choose not to tip.


94 posted on 12/21/2018 7:49:37 AM PST by ladyrustic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: ladyrustic

I donated last night and have not received an E-mail-—is this normal?

.


95 posted on 12/21/2018 7:51:29 AM PST by Mears
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 94 | View Replies]

To: SteveH

I seem to recall that the Statue of Liberty was bought, erected and paid for by school children donating pennies.


96 posted on 12/21/2018 7:57:20 AM PST by Flint
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Revel; All

“Specific federal agencies can’t touch this funding without a congressional appropriation. “

So get it done NOW - before the evil ones take over - they’d use the money to ‘impeach impeach impeach’


97 posted on 12/21/2018 8:03:02 AM PST by maine-iac7 ( Christian is as Christian does mt-h)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Revel

Congress could add during reconciliation a simple line that “Donations may be received from any source to supplement the $5 billion authorization.” Or wording similar so that the money could be accepted and explicitly used to help build the wall—hey, in Trump parlance, to make it 10 feet taller.


98 posted on 12/21/2018 8:03:32 AM PST by Reno89519 (No Amnesty! No Catch-and-Release! Just Say No to All Illegal Aliens! Arrest & Deport!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EEGator

It was allocated for border wall construction. I neither stated nor implies it was designated for “private purposes”

And the caps were used for emphasis. Sorry you have a problem with them.


99 posted on 12/21/2018 8:12:08 AM PST by traderrob6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: Revel; Chode; Squantos; Lockbox; snooter55
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a longtime proponent of tighter border security, hailed the vet’s “impressive” campaign, even as he expressed reservations about allowing private citizens to govern with their wallets.

Hey- bob, do you want to keep your JOB WORKING FOR US THE PUBLIC ???

“I think it’s admirable, and I think that the country should respond,” Goodlatte told The Post. “Obviously, we can’t let citizens raise money and say, ‘The government will spend my money on this purpose.’ ”

WHAT'S WRONG bob ? IS IT TOO MUCH TROUBLE TO STEAL MONEY IF IT'S NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND ?

According to the Treasury Department, general donations to the feds are directed to a “Gifts to the United States” fund, set aside for “general use” by the federal government or “budget needs.”

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a longtime proponent of tighter border security, hailed the vet’s “impressive” campaign, even as he expressed reservations about allowing private citizens to govern with their wallets. “I think it’s admirable, and I think that the country should respond,” Goodlatte told The Post. “Obviously, we can’t let citizens raise money and say, ‘The government will spend my money on this purpose.’ ”

According to the Treasury Department, general donations to the feds are directed to a “Gifts to the United States” fund, set aside for “general use” by the federal government or “budget needs.” Specific federal agencies can’t touch this funding without a congressional appropriation.

THEN APPROPRIATE IT !!!

100 posted on 12/21/2018 8:22:48 AM PST by mabarker1 (Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! Tagline: (optional, printed after your name on post):)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-132 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson