WalkAway campaign: Difference between revisions
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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}}, the [[Center for Responsive Politics]] reported that of the $20,004 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|website=www.opensecrets.org|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> |
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}}, the [[Center for Responsive Politics]] reported that of the $20,004 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|website=www.opensecrets.org|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> |
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WalkAway |
WalkAway received a $10,000 donation from [[Alex Jones]] and [[InfoWars]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Isaacs |first1=Deanna |title=A dramatic confrontation between the right-wing political group #WalkAway and Theater Wit ends up on YouTube |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/walkaway-theater-wit-hate-speech/Content?oid=71569311 |agency=The Chicago Reader |date=July 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fitzsimons |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 |agency=NBC |date=August 21, 2018}}</ref> When questioned about whether WalkAway accepted the $10,000 donation from Jones and his company, Straka replied, "Yes, we did! And we are so grateful to Alex and everyone else who has helped to contribute to the success of our campaign."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/walkaway/comments/956lnq/hi_everyone_im_brandon_straka_founder_of_walkaway/e3qhxd1/?context=3|title=Hi everyone, I’m Brandon Straka, founder of #WalkAway Campaign, a true grassroots movement...}}|access-date=2020-08-20</ref> |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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Revision as of 00:35, 4 September 2020
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The WalkAway campaign, also styled #WalkAway, is a social media campaign that was launched ahead of the United States 2018 mid-term elections by Brandon Straka, a hairstylist from New York City.[1][2] According to the campaign's website, the campaign "encourages and supports those on the Left to walk away from the divisive tenets endorsed and mandated by the Democratic Party of today."[3]
Controversy
News sources have debated the extent to which WalkAway is an example of astroturfing rather than a genuine grassroots movement. David A. Love of CNN condemned the campaign as "pure propaganda, a psychological operation" and "connected to Kremlin-linked Russian bots".[4] The website Hamilton 68, which tracks Russia's interference on U.S. elections, reported that WalkAway was "connected to Kremlin-linked Russian bots to manipulate voters into thinking the movement was more popular and active that it actually was."[5]
Abby Ohlheiser in The Washington Post claimed "There’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 videos with the "Conservative Internet viral" nature of the WalkAway video.[6] 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.[7]
Slate journalist Mark Joseph Stern accused Straka of presenting royalty-free stock images from Shutterstock and claiming they were of people who had left the Democratic Party.[8] Straka has denied that any such material originated from the WalkAway campaign. Snopes posted a tweet from Stern stating that the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas shared the meme.[9]
Straka has stated that WalkAway does not receive major donations and that "everything is grassroots support from Americans who send us $5 or $100."[5] As of May 2020[update], the Center for Responsive Politics reported that of the $20,004 donated to WalkAway in 2020, $7,521 were contributed by nine large ($200 or more) donors—of which Straka is one.[10]
WalkAway received a $10,000 donation from Alex Jones and InfoWars.[11][12] When questioned about whether WalkAway accepted the $10,000 donation from Jones and his company, Straka replied, "Yes, we did! And we are so grateful to Alex and everyone else who has helped to contribute to the success of our campaign."[13]
See also
References
- ^ FitSimons, Tim (21 August 2018). "Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats". NBC News. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
- ^ #WalkAway Campaign Official YouTube (2018-06-29), #WalkAway - Brandon Straka, "Why I left the Democrat Party", retrieved 2018-11-03
- ^ #WalkAway Campaign", retrieved 2020-01-21
- ^ Love, David A. "Russian bots are using #WalkAway to try to wound Dems in midterms". CNN. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
- ^ a b Suggs, Ernie. "#Walkaway movement to hold Atlanta event amid questions about support". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Ohlheiser, Abby (2 July 2018). "Analysis | The #WalkAway meme is what happens when everything is viral and nothing matters". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Michel, Casey (16 October 2018). "Pro-Trump #WalkAway March has all the signs of a grifting operation". ThinkProgress.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "These people who "walked away from the Democrats" are stock-photo models". Fast Company. 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
- ^ "FACT CHECK: Did the #WalkAway Campaign Use Stock Photographs for People It Claimed Left the Democratic Party?". Snopes.com. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
- ^ "Walkaway Campaign PAC Summary | OpenSecrets". www.opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
- ^ Isaacs, Deanna (July 10, 2019). "A dramatic confrontation between the right-wing political group #WalkAway and Theater Wit ends up on YouTube". The Chicago Reader.
- ^ Fitzsimons, Tim (August 21, 2018). "Meet Brandon Straka, a gay former liberal encouraging others to #WalkAway from Democrats". NBC.
- ^ "Hi everyone, I'm Brandon Straka, founder of #WalkAway Campaign, a true grassroots movement..."|access-date=2020-08-20