After San Francisco Giants principal proprietor Charles B. Johnson first got here beneath hearth for donating to Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert — a distinguished promoter of conspiracy theories relating to the 2020 presidential election — he vowed to hunt a refund from Boebert and “every other people who’re discovered to have engaged in related conduct.”
He added that he would “reject and denounce any people, candidates or elected officers who don’t honor our structure or who espouse or help in violence of any form,” and promised “to do my half in serving to to heal our nation and restore peace and respect in our democratic system.”
Regardless of this “pledge,” SFGATE reported that Johnson was by no means refunded by Boebert, and even donated to her once more by way of a joint fundraising committee. Johnson additionally donated to a committee run by a Louisiana politician who appeared to rejoice the Jan. 6 riots within the instant aftermath.
So it ought to come as no shock that new FEC information reviewed by SFGATE present Johnson as soon as once more broke his pledge by immediately giving the utmost particular person quantity to Herschel Walker, the previous school soccer star who’s operating towards Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock in 2022 and has already been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell. The donation was marked on Sept. 8.
Walker was one of the vital prolific “Cease the Steal” fanatics in November and December 2020, and unquestionably “engaged in related conduct” to Boebert — if not going even additional.
In a Jan. 4 tweet, he alleged “Nation extensive election fraud” and gave an endorsement of conspiracy theorist Lin Wooden (who has since change into too poisonous for even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene), whereas calling for a “complete cleaning solely @realDonaldTrump can do with the assistance of TRUE PATRIOTS.” He didn’t elaborate on what he meant by a “complete cleaning.”
Walker pushed a number of debunked conspiracy theories relating to the altering of vote totals, together with the “hammer scorecard” idea (which was called “not a real thing” and “nonsense” by a Trump-appointed cybersecurity official), and in addition gave a number of endorsements of lawyer Sidney Powell, whose conspiracy theories relating to Dominion Voting Methods have been so outlandish the Trump marketing campaign sought distance from her.
After the Trump marketing campaign’s disavowal, Walker tweeted, “I nonetheless have a whole lot of religion in Sidney Powell,” and, “All you Doubters might be shocked when @SidneyPowell1 lays the SMACKDOWN on most of the folks you may have trusted for years!”
Within the aftermath of Jan. 6, Walker tweeted, “Have you ever observed weren’t speaking about election fraud and election integrity now? Looks as if this was nicely deliberate to close every thing down and run the clock out,” and falsely alleged that two particular rioters have been “Trojan Horses” (the 2 have been confirmed to be supporters of President Trump).
Past election conspiracy mongering, Walker additionally faces scrutiny over his private life. An Related Press report from July particulars “accusations that Walker repeatedly threatened his ex-wife’s life, exaggerated claims of economic success and alarmed enterprise associates with unpredictable conduct.”
SFGATE sports activities editor Alex Shultz contributed to this report.
