View source for WalkAway campaign

{{short description|American political social-media campaign}}
{{use American English|date=December 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Correct title|#WalkAway campaign|reason=hash}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                = #WalkAway campaign
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| size                = frameless
| alt                 = 
| formation           = {{start date and age|2018|05|26}}
| founder             = Brandon Straka
| type                = 
| purpose             = Encouraging liberals to leave the Democratic Party<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.walkawaycampaign.com/ |title=About|website=#WalkAway Campaign |access-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref>
| location            = United States, Canada
| website             = {{URL|https://www.walkawaycampaign.com/}}
}}
The '''#WalkAway campaign''' is a [[social-media campaign]] that was launched ahead of the [[2018 United States elections|United States 2018 mid-term elections]] with the stated purpose of encouraging liberals to leave the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]].<ref name="FitsimonsDemocrats"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Davis |title=#WalkAway Founder Is Latest to Spread 'Facebook Ban' Disinformation |url=https://observer.com/2018/09/walkaway-founder-brandon-straka-peddles-disinformation-campaign-about-facebook-ban/ |access-date=January 9, 2021 |work=observer.com |date=September 13, 2018}}</ref> The campaign has been organizing events in support of [[Donald Trump]]. It was noted and criticized<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fernandez |first=Nick |title=Fox & Friends hosts founder of astroturfed #WalkAway "movement" who has appeared on Infowars |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-friends/fox-friends-hosts-founder-astroturfed-walkaway-movement-who-has-appeared-infowars |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=Media Matters for America |language=en}}</ref> for using [[astroturfing]] methods of gathering support, by counterfeiting a popular movement of people who have left the party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-08 |title=Russian Bots Linked To Viral Twitter Attacks On 'Hateful' Dems |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/russian-bots-linked-to-viral-attacks-over-rude-dems_n_5b414945e4b05127ccf2d083 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-28 |title=Pro-Trump & Russian-Linked Twitter Accounts Are Posing As Ex-Democrats In New Astroturfed Movement |url=https://arcdigital.media/pro-trump-russian-linked-twitter-accounts-are-posing-as-ex-democrats-in-new-astroturfed-movement-20359c1906d3 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628002126/https://arcdigital.media/pro-trump-russian-linked-twitter-accounts-are-posing-as-ex-democrats-in-new-astroturfed-movement-20359c1906d3 |archive-date=28 June 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Analysis {{!}} The #WalkAway meme is what happens when everything is viral and nothing matters |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2018/07/02/the-walkaway-meme-is-what-happens-when-everything-is-viral-and-nothing-matters/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

In 2021, the group's founder, Brandon Straka, a hairstylist from New York City,<ref name="FitsimonsDemocrats">{{cite news |last1=FitSimons |first1=Tim |title=Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/meet-brandon-straka-gay-former-liberal-encouraging-others-walkaway-democrats-n902316 |access-date=March 18, 2019 |work=NBC News |date=August 21, 2018}}</ref> was charged with and convicted<ref name="conviction">{{cite web|first1=Alex|last1=Cooper|accessdate=2022-01-26|title=Convicted Gay Trump Ally Brandon Straka Cooperating With Authorities|url=https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/12/20/convicted-gay-trump-ally-brandon-straka-cooperating-authorities|website=www.gaycitynews.com| date=December 20, 2021 }}</ref> of participating in the [[2021 United States Capitol attack]]. Following this, the group's Facebook page, which had more than half a million followers, was closed for violations of the site's terms of service.<ref name="facebookBan" />

==Organization==
[[File:WalkAway in Omaha IMG 7676 (50532750066).jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|U.S. Representative [[Don Bacon]] speaking at a WalkAway rally in [[Omaha, Nebraska]], in October 2020]]
The campaign is set up as a [[Private foundation (United States)|foundation]] and a [[political action committee]]:
*The ''#WalkAway Foundation'' is a registered [[501(c)(3) organization]] defined as an Alliance/Advocacy Organizations within the Public, Society Benefit - Multipurpose and Other category. The IRS ruling year for tax exemption was 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/832820906|title=Walkaway Foundation | access-date=October 28, 2020}}</ref> While no IRS annual return is on file for 2019, the 2018 filing shows contributions of $97,950 with officers reported as Brandon Straka, chairman; Maria Albanese, director, and Tracy Diaz, director.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.charitiesnys.com/RegistrySearch/show_details.jsp?id={E0F85A6A-0000-CE1E-92F3-A503D3E0CF0A}|title=Walkaway Foundation - NYS Attorney General - Charities | access-date=October 28, 2020}}</ref> As of October 28, 2020, the foundation was involved in an online fundraising campaign through classy.org which had raised nearly $125,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://give.walkawayfoundation.org/campaign/how-were-going-to-defeat-the-radical-left/c306196|title=Walkaway Foundation- Donate Now|access-date=October 28, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101033531/https://give.walkawayfoundation.org/campaign/how-were-going-to-defeat-the-radical-left/c306196|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
*The PAC is set up as ''#Walkaway Campaign PAC'' and shows receipts of $29,000 through the 2020 cycle. The FEC registration is C00718197 and the treasurer of the PAC is indicated as Dan Backer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?cycle=2020&strID=C00718197|title=Walkaway Campaign PAC - OpenSecrets | access-date=October 28, 2020}}</ref>

===Methods and fundraising===
{{See also|Hashtag activism}}
Observers and commentators have raised doubts as to what extent #WalkAway Campaign is an example of [[astroturfing]] rather than a genuine [[Grassroots lobbying|grassroots movement]]. Straka has stated that WalkAway does not receive major donations and that "everything is grassroots support from Americans who send us $5 or $100."<ref name=":1" /> {{As of|2020|May}}, [[OpenSecrets]] reported that of the $20,104 donated to WalkAway in 2020, $7,521 were contributed by nine large ($200 or more) donors, of which Straka is one.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Walkaway Campaign PAC Summary {{!}} OpenSecrets|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?cycle=2020&strID=C00718197|access-date=May 20, 2020|website=www.opensecrets.org}}</ref>{{better source needed|Outdated|date=October 2020}} Soon after its founding in 2018, WalkAway received a $10,000 donation from [[Alex Jones]] and [[InfoWars]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Isaacs|first1=Deanna|date=July 10, 2019|title=A dramatic confrontation between the right-wing political group #WalkAway and Theater Wit ends up on YouTube|agency=The Chicago Reader|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/walkaway-theater-wit-hate-speech/Content?oid=71569311}}</ref><ref name="FitsimonsDemocrats"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hi everyone, I'm Brandon Straka, founder of #WalkAway Campaign, a true grassroots movement...|date = August 7, 2018|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/walkaway/comments/956lnq/hi_everyone_im_brandon_straka_founder_of_walkaway/e3qhxd1/?context=3|access-date=August 20, 2020}}</ref>

==Activities==
In the runup to the [[2020 United States presidential election]], the WalkAway campaign held [[Political demonstration|rallies and marches]] in various cities, an effort to get people to vote for President [[Donald Trump]]. In August 2020, the WalkAway campaign held a [[political demonstration|rally]] in [[West Hollywood, California]]. Nearly 300 demonstrators attended, including [[YouTuber]] [[Joy Villa]]. Many held flags and signs supportive of Trump and critical of the Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Henry E. |title=Nearly 300 #WalkAway Demonstrators Rally in West Hollywood to Support Trump |url=https://www.wehoville.com/2020/08/08/nearly-300-walkaway-demonstrators-rally-in-west-hollywood-to-support-trump/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=WEHOville |date=August 8, 2020}}</ref> On September 5, the campaign held a rally in [[Dallas, Texas]], during which a [[Black Lives Matter]] counter-protester was arrested.<ref>{{cite news |title=Activist Dominique Alexander, others detained following incident at Dallas WalkAway Campaign rally |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/activist-dominique-alexander-others-detained-following-incident-at-dallas-walkaway-campaign-rally/287-712f6c8f-a147-4e52-b261-e3144f0ea864 |work=WFAA |date=September 5, 2020}}</ref> On October 3, 2020, Straka held a rally in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Satterfield |first1=Kolbie |title=Political protests and rallies fill DC streets 1 month before election |url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/protests/protests-and-rallies-fill-dc-streets-one-month-ahead-of-election/65-7460e7d8-e504-4c7b-afd5-042a4ca7099b |work=WUSA9 |date=October 3, 2020}}</ref>


=== Straka in the 2021 Capitol attack ===
[[File:Straka rally and attack on the Capitol.png|thumb|left|Straka representing Walkaway at a [[Stop the Steal]] rally in [[Washington, D.C.]] before the attack (top), Straka later attacking the [[United States Capitol]] (bottom)]]
{{2021 United States Capitol attack}}

Straka attended the [[2021 United States Capitol attack]] and spoke to crowds on January 5 where he referred to the audience as "patriots" and referred repeatedly to a "revolution." He also told the attendees to "fight back" and added, "We are sending a message to the Democrats, we are not going away, you've got a problem!"<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2021-04-19|title=MAGA influencer Brandon Straka arrested in connection with Capitol assault|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/gay-maga-influencer-brandon-straka-arrested-connection-capitol-assault-n1255769|website=NBC News}}</ref><ref name="PoliticoCapitol"/>

The next day, he urged protestors to take away a police officer's shield, shouting "Take it away from him" and "Take it! Take it!" Later, as others tried to charge through the entrance to the Capitol, he shouted, "Go! Go!"<ref name="PoliticoCapitol"/>

On January 8, [[Facebook]] closed the #WalkAway page, which had more than half a million followers at the time. The page was replaced with a message from Facebook saying the page had violated its terms of use.<ref name="facebookBan">{{cite web|first1=Duncan|last1=Osborne|accessdate=2021-04-19|title=Social Media Platforms Run Away from #WalkAway Campaign – Gay City News|url=https://www.gaycitynews.com/social-media-platforms-run-away-from-walkaway-campaign/|website=www.gaycitynews.com|date=January 13, 2021 }}</ref> The shutdown came in the wake of the Capitol attack, when Facebook and other social media platforms increased their enforcement of terms of service that ban the incitement of violence.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fischer|first=Ashley Gold, Sara|title=Facebook, Twitter and the long march toward banning Trump|url=https://www.axios.com/social-medias-long-march-toward-banning-trump-a88477d7-747d-424f-a827-8fe82663b580.html|access-date=January 9, 2021|website=Axios| date=January 8, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Facebook said the page violated a policy on content that was, "hateful, threatening, or obscene".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/6221452487001/|title=Anti-Democrat WalkAway Campaign banished from Facebook|website=Fox News|date=January 9, 2021 }}</ref>

On January 25, Straka was arrested in Nebraska by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] for "impeding law enforcement officers during civil disorder" and unlawful entry into a restricted building, as well as disorderly conduct in relation to his role in the violent disturbance.<ref name="PoliticoCapitol">{{cite news|last1=Gerstein|first1=Josh|date=January 25, 2021|title=Stop the Steal organizer charged in Capitol riot|work=Politico|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/25/capitol-riot-stop-the-steal-462322|access-date=January 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MAGA influencer Brandon Straka arrested in connection with Capitol assault|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/gay-maga-influencer-brandon-straka-arrested-connection-capitol-assault-n1255769|access-date=2021-05-27|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref> He pleaded guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge in October 2021, which could be punishable by up to six months in prison, and agreed to provide private social media and other evidence to investigators.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hsu |first1=Spencer |title=Pro-Trump social media influencer and speaker at Jan. 5 rally pleads guilty to disorderly conduct in Capitol riot |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/brandon-straka-guilty-plea-capitol-riot/2021/10/06/7ac9397a-26d5-11ec-8831-a31e7b3de188_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 6, 2021}}</ref> Prosecutors postponed Straka's December 2021 sentencing for thirty days to evaluate evidence he had provided.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kyle |first1=Cheney |title=Trump ally Straka has provided potentially significant information |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/17/trump-ally-brandon-straka-information-525272 |work=Politico |date=December 17, 2021}}</ref> Straka was later sentenced to three years probation for his role in the Capitol riot.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/24/politics/brandon-straka-capitol-riot/index.html | title=Pro-Trump influencer sentenced to three years of probation for his participation in the Capitol riot | date=January 24, 2022 }}</ref>

== Reactions ==
David A. Love of [[CNN]] condemned the campaign as "pure propaganda [and] a psychological operation."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/17/opinions/russian-bots-2018-midterm-elections-opinion-love/index.html|title=Russian bots are using #WalkAway to try to wound Dems in midterms|last=Love|first=David A.|work=CNN|access-date=November 3, 2018}}</ref> The website [[Hamilton 68]], which claimed to track [[Russian interference in the 2020 United States elections|Russia's interference on U.S. elections]] but was actually a misinformation campaign popular with the security state and war criminals whose purpose was to attack marginalized people, falsely reported that #WalkAway was "connected to Kremlin-linked Russian bots to manipulate voters into thinking the movement was more popular and active than it actually was."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=#Walkaway movement to hold Atlanta event amid questions about support|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/walkaway-movement-hold-atlanta-event-amid-questions-about-support/D8rFyISOyCmEstogz3o5vM/|last=Suggs|first=Ernie|website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2020|date=September 17, 2019}}</ref>

Abby Ohlheiser of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' claimed that "[t]here’s little actual evidence to suggest that #WalkAway represents a mass conversion of millions – or even thousands – of Democrats" and contrasted the broad appeal of true [[viral video]]s with the "Conservative Internet viral" nature of the WalkAway video.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Analysis {{!}} The #WalkAway meme is what happens when everything is viral and nothing matters|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2018/07/02/the-walkaway-meme-is-what-happens-when-everything-is-viral-and-nothing-matters/|last=Ohlheiser|first=Abby|date=July 2, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2018}}</ref> [[ThinkProgress]] characterized the campaign as "a grifting operation," noting efforts by the organizers to sell dinner packages priced in the hundreds of dollars to march attendees.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pro-Trump #WalkAway March has all the signs of a grifting operation|url=https://thinkprogress.org/is-the-right-wing-walkaway-march-already-falling-apart-95dbce937e2a/|last=Michel|first=Casey|date=October 16, 2018|website=ThinkProgress}}</ref>

''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' journalist Mark Joseph Stern accused Straka of presenting royalty-free [[stock photography|stock images]] from [[Shutterstock]] and claiming they were of people who had left the Democratic Party,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90207120/these-people-who-walked-away-from-the-democrats-are-stock-photo-models|title=These people who "walked away from the Democrats" are stock-photo models|date=July 24, 2018|work=Fast Company|access-date=November 3, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> though Straka has denied that any such material originated from the WalkAway campaign. Fact-checking website [[Snopes]] stated that it could not determine whether this use of stock images had originated from campaign organizers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/walkaway-campaign-stock-photos/|title=FACT CHECK: Did the #WalkAway Campaign Use Stock Photographs for People It Claimed Left the Democratic Party?|work=Snopes.com|access-date=November 3, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Blexit]]
*[[Astroturfing]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:2018 in American politics]]
[[Category:2018 in Internet culture]]
[[Category:Trumpism]]
[[Category:Hashtags]]
[[Category:Political campaigns]]
[[Category:Protest marches]]
[[Category:2018 YouTube videos]]
[[Category:Groups and movements involved with the January 6 United States Capitol attack]]