"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To

[ThoughtEx.]

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To Get Rich

Brian Kolfage, the decorated Iraq War veteran spearheading the massive, viral fundraising campaign to build President Trump’s border wall, who has a history of peddling right-wing misinformation on Facebook, pushed the limits of misleading content in pursuit of online traffic and profits until he was ultimately banned from the platform, according to multiple former employees and a review of internal communications.

The 37-year-old has spent more than a decade carefully crafting his public persona as an altruistic, conservative public figure, but people who have worked with the veteran told BuzzFeed News he can be vengeful and malicious, and that the pursuit of profits above all else fueled his behavior.

BuzzFeed News reviewed a cache of internal emails and text messages from several of Kolfage’s former employees and acquaintances that show how he pushed to sensationalize and fabricate right-wing content on Facebook to amass clicks, manipulate users, and in the process, make hundreds of thousands of dollars a month in advertising revenue. In one text, he claimed to run a “multi-million business.”

In addition to Lowery, three sources corroborated the documents and their experience with Kolfage, but were afraid to go on the record, citing his past behavior of lashing out and threatening legal action against those who have spoken against him.

Former employees told BuzzFeed News that Kolfage instructed his crew to produce Facebook content to more flagrantly convey a false narrative, in one instance photoshopping former president Obama’s head onto another body to make it appear as though he was having an affair, with the caption, “BREAKING!! OBAMA BUSTED!!! VIDEO LEAKED!!”

“You’ll love this one ,” he texted employees during a conversation about manipulating images.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...trump-wall-brian-kolfage-immigration-facebook

It goes on to describe a network of facebook pages, fake news sites, and real news sites this guy uses to generate clicks from gullible Trump supporters.

This guy is not on your side, he's taking advantage of you, just like Trump is... They see how easily manipulated you are, and they jump on it. This should really make you stop and examine your lives.

 

[Kobie]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

But he’s a disabled veteran, and therefore infallible.

 

[americanwoman]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To Get Rich





https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...trump-wall-brian-kolfage-immigration-facebook

It goes on to describe a network of facebook pages, fake news sites, and real news sites this guy uses to generate clicks from gullible Trump supporters.

This guy is not on your side, he's taking advantage of you, just like Trump is... They see how easily manipulated you are, and they jump on it. This should really make you stop and examine your lives.

It should, but it won't. They are too blind and too stubborn to take notice.

 

[tres borrachos]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To Get Rich





https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...trump-wall-brian-kolfage-immigration-facebook

It goes on to describe a network of facebook pages, fake news sites, and real news sites this guy uses to generate clicks from gullible Trump supporters.

This guy is not on your side, he's taking advantage of you, just like Trump is... They see how easily manipulated you are, and they jump on it. This should really make you stop and examine your lives.

Geezus. The man is a con artist.

A year later, he used GoFundMe to collect $16,246 for a veteran mentorship program. The campaign closed in February 2015, and the funds went directly to Kolfage, Bobby Whithorne, a GoFundMe spokesperson, confirmed to BuzzFeed News.

 

[nota bene]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

According to The Hill, Kolfage set up a similar GoFundMe in 2015 with the donated money going directly to him. https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brie...d-gofundme-for-trumps-wall-allegedly-pocketed

 

[Rexedgar]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Wasn’t there a contentious thread begun when this fund was first reported?

Many were skeptical and many were “all in......”

 

[NeverTrump]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To Get Rich





https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...trump-wall-brian-kolfage-immigration-facebook

It goes on to describe a network of facebook pages, fake news sites, and real news sites this guy uses to generate clicks from gullible Trump supporters.

This guy is not on your side, he's taking advantage of you, just like Trump is... They see how easily manipulated you are, and they jump on it. This should really make you stop and examine your lives.

smocking!

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Within a day or so after he set up that GoFundMe page to help build a Wall it was reported that because of the laws, none of the money can go to the wall. Yet people kept giving. He's a conman and he's going to keep most if not all of that money.

I'd like to feel sorry for the people who gave, but I can't. Reminds me of the people who give their hard earned money to a Televangelist who wears $15,000 Italian suits and lives in a $10 mil mansion.. Hard to feel sorry for people that gullible.

Sometimes I think people want to be conned, Trump's making fools of and conning millions too, but they don't care.

 

[JustHanging]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To Get Rich





https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...trump-wall-brian-kolfage-immigration-facebook

It goes on to describe a network of facebook pages, fake news sites, and real news sites this guy uses to generate clicks from gullible Trump supporters.

This guy is not on your side, he's taking advantage of you, just like Trump is... They see how easily manipulated you are, and they jump on it. This should really make you stop and examine your lives.

Was there ever any doubt?

I think we all knew this was a Trumpian scam designed to take advantage of the base from day one.

 

[JustHanging]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Within a day or so after he set up that GoFundMe page to help build a Wall it was reported that because of the laws, none of the money can go to the wall. Yet people kept giving. He's a conman and he's going to keep most if not all of that money.

I wonder if Trump will make a grab for it?

Trump could threaten to denounce the guy if he doesn't agree to make a big show of handing the money over to Trump, and Trump could promise to give half of it back.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

I wonder if Trump will make a grab for it?

Trump could threaten to denounce the guy if he doesn't agree to make a big show of handing the money over to Trump, and Trump could promise to give half of it back.

Maybe, but Trump has MILLIONS coming in for his re-election bid in 2020. I doubt he's going to run, so he'll just figure out a way to 'legally' steal the re-election campaign money.

 

[Anthony60]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Maybe, but Trump has MILLIONS coming in for his re-election bid in 2020. I doubt he's going to run, so he'll just figure out a way to 'legally' steal the re-election campaign money.

No, that's not how it works. As President, you make sure your cronies do well, then you get a $60 million book deal when you leave office, among other things.

 

[apdst]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

But he’s a disabled veteran, and therefore infallible.

That's what y'all were saying about General McCaffery.

 

[apdst]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Within a day or so after he set up that GoFundMe page to help build a Wall it was reported that because of the laws, none of the money can go to the wall. Yet people kept giving. He's a conman and he's going to keep most if not all of that money.

I'd like to feel sorry for the people who gave, but I can't. Reminds me of the people who give their hard earned money to a Televangelist who wears $15,000 Italian suits and lives in a $10 mil mansion.. Hard to feel sorry for people that gullible.

Sometimes I think people want to be conned, Trump's making fools of and conning millions too, but they don't care.

There's no law prohibiting the donation of money to the government.

The treasury has a system set up to do so.

https://fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.html

 

[Kobie]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

That's what y'all were saying about General McCaffery.

lol wut

 

[apdst]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

lol wut

Playing dumb isn't going to work.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

There's no law prohibiting the donation of money to the government.

The treasury has a system set up to do so.

https://fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.html

Not specifically to the wall.. That's been reported for weeks.

I'm sure you gave. Congrats on being 1 of the gullible.

 

[americanwoman]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

There's no law prohibiting the donation of money to the government.

The treasury has a system set up to do so.

https://fiscal.treasury.gov/public/gifts-to-government.html

Have you donated yet?

 

[Kobie]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Playing dumb isn't going to work.

No, please elaborate. This should be worth a few chuckles.

 

[Cardinal]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Geezus. The man is a con artist.

A year later, he used GoFundMe to collect $16,246 for a veteran mentorship program. The campaign closed in February 2015, and the funds went directly to Kolfage, Bobby Whithorne, a GoFundMe spokesperson, confirmed to BuzzFeed News.

Being trumpist means being a con artist. It's uncanny. I have little doubt that the $20.1 million that Kolfage has raised will not go to a wall, and it will not be refunded.

And the craziest thing I predict will be this: Kolfage's victims won't mind.

 

[apdst]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Have you donated yet?

None of your business. Have you? You're all about higher taxes.

 

[Mycroft]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

"I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake News To Get Rich





https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...trump-wall-brian-kolfage-immigration-facebook

It goes on to describe a network of facebook pages, fake news sites, and real news sites this guy uses to generate clicks from gullible Trump supporters.

This guy is not on your side, he's taking advantage of you, just like Trump is... They see how easily manipulated you are, and they jump on it. This should really make you stop and examine your lives.

So...let me get this right, eh?

Buzzfeed, a site that depends on ad revenue to survive, runs a dishonest hit piece on Trump...citing unverified information from a dossier that someone...who was ultimately paid by the Hillary campaign...provided them. But now, Buzzfeed is running a hit piece about another person doing essentially the same thing they do.

Sounds like a kettle/pot thing to me.

I'm thinking Buzzfeed is taking advantage of their readers so they can make a pile of money in ad revenue. If you are a reader of Buzzfeed, this should really make you stop and examine your lives.

 

[apdst]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

Not specifically to the wall.. That's been reported for weeks.

I'm sure you gave. Congrats on being 1 of the gullible.

If money is donated to fund a project, the wall in this case, it's Congress' duty to spend the money on that project.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

it's Congress' duty to spend the money on that project.

No....

And LOL at 'it's Congress's duty part'..

Face it you got scammed, not surprising though given your a Trump fan.

 

[americanwoman]

Re: "I Felt Dirty": Former Employees Of The Veteran Crowdfunding Trump's Wall Say He Pushed Fake New

None of your business. Have you? You're all about higher taxes.

I am not for higher taxes just allocating our taxes better. I'd rather have millions of kids fed and better educated than another couple billion to be lost in Iraq but that's just my bleeding heart talking.

I don't support the wall so I wouldn't voluntarily donate my own money. You do support the wall but refuse to answer if you have donated any of your own money or the reasons you wouldn't if you didn't. I won't force you to answer and could never know one way or another anyway but it's kind of telling how you did answer when asked.