Texas AG Investigates GoFundMe for Dropping $9M Canadian Trucker Campaign

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced an investigation into GoFundMe after the crowdfunding site dropped a multimillion dollar campaign for Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Paxton said Wednesday that he had launched an investigation to determine whether GoFundMe violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by nixing the campaign to support the protest. What has been dubbed "Freedom Convoy 2022" began as a demonstration by a group of Canadian truckers opposed to the vaccine mandate and has blocked roads in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, for more than a week.

The protest has since grown to include other protesters opposed to public health measures amid the pandemic and drawn the attention and support of many conservative politicians from beyond Canada. Paxton, a Republican, described the cancelation of the crowdfunding campaign, which had raised around $9 million, as a "deceitful action" and noted that "many Texans" had made donations.

"GoFundMe's response to an anti-mandate, pro-liberty movement should ring alarm bells to anyone using the donation platform and, more broadly, any American wanting to protect their constitutional rights," Paxton said in a statement. "Many Texans donated to this worthy cause."

"I am acting to protect Texas consumers so that they know where their hard-earned money is going, rather than allowing GoFundMe to divert money to another cause without the consent of Texas citizens," he continued. "I will get to the bottom of this deceitful action."

GoFundMe distributed an initial $1 million to the campaign's organizers before canceling the fundraiser last week after Ottawa police said that the demonstration had included "hatred, violence and illegal acts." The crowdfunding site determined that the campaign violated a provision of its terms of service that "prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment."

"GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created," GoFundMe said in a statement. "We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."

It was announced on February 4 that the remaining funds would go to "credible and established charities chosen by the Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers and verified by GoFundMe." However, the company changed course one day later after receiving "donor feedback" and announced that it would "automatically refund all contributions directly" without any need for refund requests.

Ottawa police and public officials applauded the decision to end the campaign. A police spokesperson thanked GoFundMe for "listening to our concerns as a city and a police service," while Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson also thanked the site for ending contributions to protesters who had "been holding our city hostage."

After the campaign ended, organizers started a new campaign on the self-described "#1 Free Christian Crowdfunding Site," GiveSendGo. Organizers said that the new campaign, which had raised almost $8 million as of Wednesday evening, would provide funds "to help cover the cost of fuel for our Truckers first and foremost," as well as food and shelter, "if needed."

Paxton was not the only Texas politician to weigh in on the Canadian protest. Republican Senator Ted Cruz sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission on Sunday that demanded an investigation into whether GoFundMe "committed a deceptive trade practice," according to Politico.

Other U.S. Republicans have also taken up the cause. In a February 5 tweet, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis insisted that it was "fraud" for GoFundMe to "commandeer" the donations and vowed to work alongside Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to "investigate these deceptive practices." Soon after the tweet, GoFundMe announced that the funds would be automatically refunded.

Newsweek reached out to GoFundMe for comment.