Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley Wants Riot Funders Held Accountable As FBI ‘Follows The Money’
Senator Calls for Legal Consequences as FBI Follows the Money in Ideological Attacks
In a Tuesday appearance on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley stated his belief that individuals who knowingly fund riots leading to violence should be held legally liable. This comes as the FBI, under Director Kash Patel, has announced a strategy of “following the money” to investigate crimes like terrorism and ideologically motivated attacks.
The conversation between Watters and Hawley focused on whether those who finance such activities could be held responsible for the resulting violence.
Hawley was unequivocal, arguing that funders are aware of the violent nature of the events they support. “When you look at the planned nature of so many of these riots,” Hawley said, “the funders have got to know what it is they’re funding.” He contended that the sophisticated nature of these operations, often involving concealed financial networks, proves the funders’ awareness.
The FBI’s new focus on financial trails marks a significant shift.
Director Patel had previously announced in June that the agency would investigate the funding behind protests targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles.
These protests, which coincided with the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, escalated into riots with documented instances of vandalism, arson, and assaults on federal property and law enforcement.
The Money Trail: A Case Study in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles riots serve as a key example. The Party for Socialism and Liberation, a group linked to wealthy pro-Chinese Communist Party millionaire Neville Roy Singham, has been connected to the disturbances.
Furthermore, a New York Post report revealed that a progressive activist group involved in the protests had received grants from both state and federal governments, highlighting the complex web of funding sources.
Hawley stressed that if a person or group funds “rioting that harms people, that assaults cops, that burns down buildings,” it should be considered a crime.
He expressed strong support for Director Patel’s new approach, emphasizing that holding funders accountable is a crucial step in addressing the root causes of such violence. This strategy aims to disrupt the financial infrastructure that enables and sustains organized, violent protests.
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