After Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all charges Friday stemming from his self-defense killing of two rioters and the injury of a third in August of 2020, a crowdfunding platform explained its decision to ban him raising money for his legal defense.
“GoFundMe’s Terms of Service prohibit raising money for the legal defense of an alleged violent crime,” GoFundMe, a popular online crowdfunding tool, said.
“Once charges for a violent crime were brought against Kyle Rittenhouse in 2020, GoFundMe removed fundraisers that were started for the defendant’s legal defense,” the statement continued, noting that removing such pages are “part of our regular monitoring efforts.”
But a cursory search of GoFundMe shows that there are several active fundraisers for alleged violent criminals.
Chrystul Kizer has been the subject of media attention in the wake of Rittenhouse’s acquittal. She is from Kenosha, where she allegedly shot and killed a man in self-defense. That man, she says, was a sex trafficker. She was 17 when she killed him.
Despite allegedly committing a violent crime, GoFundMe is allowing her to raise money for her legal defense. The page has raised more than $33,000 and helped Kizer make bail.
Patrick Bolden-Smith is being held on $50,000 bail in a Los Angeles jail. He will be charged, according to CBSLA with felonies that could include assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. Nevertheless, his active GoFundMe page has raised more than $8000.
Rondell Johnson has a GoFundMe page for his bail. He was charged with first degree robbery in Monroe County, New York on Oct. 7.
Johnson’s GoFundMe page says his $150,000 bail is excessive, and pleads for the public’s help. So far, he has raised $500.
Jesse Angel Kidd of Eugene, Oregon was arrested in September and charged with two counts riot, theft in the first degree, two counts criminal mischief in the first degree, criminal mischief in the second degree, reckless burning, disorderly conduct in the second degree, interfering with a police officer and menacing, according to KVAL.
Those charges stemmed from the summer 2020 riots in response to George Floyd’s killing at the hands of police.
Despite being charged with the violent crime of rioting, GoFundMe allowed a bail fund to be set up in his name. An update on that fund says that Kidd was released on bail on Oct. 4, thanks in part to GoFundMe users who donated a total of $8932 on his behalf.
The fatal New York City shooting of Mike Rosado by off-duty police officers has received a fair bit of attention in left-wing protest circles.
Rosado was shot and killed as he fired a weapon on a group of people during an altercation in late August. His father, Rafael Rosado, then took the gun and allegedly fired 10 shots at the police officers. Eventually, the elder Rosado was taken into custody.
There’s now a GoFundMe for his bail, despite the fact that he’s charged with the violent crime of attempted murder, and reckless endangerment, among other lesser gun crimes.
Rittenhouse was charged with two of the same crimes, attempted murder and reckless endangerment before his GoFundMe page was removed.
GoFundMe did not return a comment request.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “GoFundMe” by GoFundMe.
