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| Scott Walker to forfeit donations from group cited in Dylann Roof 'manifesto' | Scott Walker to forfeit donations from group cited in Dylann Roof 'manifesto' |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Related: Leader of group cited in 'Dylann Roof manifesto' donated to top Republicans | Related: Leader of group cited in 'Dylann Roof manifesto' donated to top Republicans |
| Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin has become the latest Republican presidential hopeful to forfeit thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the leader of a rightwing group said to have influenced the Charleston church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. | Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin has become the latest Republican presidential hopeful to forfeit thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the leader of a rightwing group said to have influenced the Charleston church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. |
| Following an inquiry from the Guardian, a spokeswoman for Walker said he would be giving up money he received in recent years from Earl Holt, the president of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC). | Following an inquiry from the Guardian, a spokeswoman for Walker said he would be giving up money he received in recent years from Earl Holt, the president of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC). |
| “The governor will be donating this money to charity,” the spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, said in an email. | “The governor will be donating this money to charity,” the spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, said in an email. |
| Walker, who is expected to officially join the 2016 party primary contest soon, received $3,500 for gubernatorial campaigns in his state from Holt, whose activist organisation is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. | Walker, who is expected to officially join the 2016 party primary contest soon, received $3,500 for gubernatorial campaigns in his state from Holt, whose activist organisation is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. |
| The author of a manifesto that surfaced on a website registered in Roof’s name and hosting photographs of the 21-year-old said he had been influenced by the CofCC website. “At this moment I realized that something was very wrong,” the text said. | The author of a manifesto that surfaced on a website registered in Roof’s name and hosting photographs of the 21-year-old said he had been influenced by the CofCC website. “At this moment I realized that something was very wrong,” the text said. |
| The Wisconsin governor’s decision follows similar moves by senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, both candidates for the presidential nomination, who received more than $10,000 between them from Holt, who has also posted dozens of racist comments online. | The Wisconsin governor’s decision follows similar moves by senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, both candidates for the presidential nomination, who received more than $10,000 between them from Holt, who has also posted dozens of racist comments online. |
| Rick Santorum, the 2012 presidential primary runner-up and former US senator for Pennsylvania who is again running for president, and Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, announced on Monday they would be giving up a cumulative $2,500 received from Holt following the publication of a Guardian article. | Rick Santorum, the 2012 presidential primary runner-up and former US senator for Pennsylvania who is again running for president, and Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, announced on Monday they would be giving up a cumulative $2,500 received from Holt following the publication of a Guardian article. |
| “It was brought to my attention late Sunday evening that an individual who led a group cited by the murderer who terrorized the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston had given to one of my past political campaigns,” Santorum said in a statement. | “It was brought to my attention late Sunday evening that an individual who led a group cited by the murderer who terrorized the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston had given to one of my past political campaigns,” Santorum said in a statement. |
| Santorum said he abhorred Holt’s views, which he described as “unacceptable. Period. End of sentence.” | Santorum said he abhorred Holt’s views, which he described as “unacceptable. Period. End of sentence.” |
| After a spokesman for Cruz said on Sunday evening that the Texas senator would be refunding Holt with $8,500 in campaign contributions, Santorum made a point of stressing that he would instead be passing the money to a fundraising campaign for the church in Charleston where Roof is charged with killing nine people. | After a spokesman for Cruz said on Sunday evening that the Texas senator would be refunding Holt with $8,500 in campaign contributions, Santorum made a point of stressing that he would instead be passing the money to a fundraising campaign for the church in Charleston where Roof is charged with killing nine people. |
| “Rather than put more money back in the pockets of such an individual, my 2012 campaign committee will be donating the amount of his past donations to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund to support the victims of this tragedy,” said Santorum. | “Rather than put more money back in the pockets of such an individual, my 2012 campaign committee will be donating the amount of his past donations to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund to support the victims of this tragedy,” said Santorum. |
| Spokesmen for Paul and Flake said they, too, would be passing Holt’s campaign contributions to the church fund. | Spokesmen for Paul and Flake said they, too, would be passing Holt’s campaign contributions to the church fund. |
| A spokesman for Cruz said later on Monday that the senator had decided not to return the contributions to Holt after all and would instead be making an $11,000 donation to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund. | A spokesman for Cruz said later on Monday that the senator had decided not to return the contributions to Holt after all and would instead be making an $11,000 donation to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund. |
| “Upon learning Mr Holt’s background, Senator Cruz made an immediate decision to return his contributions,” said the spokesman. | “Upon learning Mr Holt’s background, Senator Cruz made an immediate decision to return his contributions,” said the spokesman. |
| “However after reflection, he decided that the best use of that money would not be to return it but instead use it to help support the families of victims from the Charleston shooting.” | “However after reflection, he decided that the best use of that money would not be to return it but instead use it to help support the families of victims from the Charleston shooting.” |
| In a statement published on Sunday, Holt said it was “not surprising” that Roof was apparently informed by the group’s website as it reported race relations “accurately and honestly”. | In a statement published on Sunday, 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.” | However, he added: “The CofCC is hardly responsible for the actions of this deranged individual merely because he gleaned accurate information from our website.” |
| Current members of congress, state officials, or candidates who received campaign contributions from Earl Holt, president of Council of Conservative Citizens, according to FEC and state filings: | |
| Senator Ted Cruz of Texas* – $8,500 – donating to Charleston church fund | |
| Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin – $3,500 – donating to charity | |
| Governor Greg Abbott of Texas – $3,000 – donating to Salvation Army in Austin | |
| Representative Steve King of Iowa – $2,500 | |
| Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska – $2,000 | |
| Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky* – $1,750 – donating to Charleston church fund | |
| Former Senator Rick Santorum – $1,500 – donating to Charleston church fund | |
| Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas – $1,500 | |
| Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas* – $1,250 | |
| Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin – $1,250 | Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin – $1,250 |
| Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa – $1,000 | Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa – $1,000 |
| Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona – $1,000 | Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona – $1,000 |
| Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina – $1,000 | Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina – $1,000 |
| Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana – $1,000 | Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana – $1,000 |
| Representative Mia Love of Utah – $1,000 – returning contributions | |
| Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin* – $1,000 | Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin* – $1,000 |
| State representative David Simpson of Texas – $750 | |
| Representative Thomas Emmer of Minnesota – $500 | Representative Thomas Emmer of Minnesota – $500 |
| Senator Dean Heller of Nevada – $500 | Senator Dean Heller of Nevada – $500 |
| Senator Jim Risch of Idaho – $500 | Senator Jim Risch of Idaho – $500 |
| Representative Kenneth Buck of Colorado – $500 | Representative Kenneth Buck of Colorado – $500 |
| Senator Rob Portman of Ohio – $250 – donating to Charleston church fund | |
| Representative Mark Sanford of South Carolina – $250 | Representative Mark Sanford of South Carolina – $250 |
| State representative Matthew Schaefer of Texas – $250 | |
| *Total includes contributions to candidate’s leadership Pac | *Total includes contributions to candidate’s leadership Pac |