
Julie Jenkins Fancelli, an heiress to Publix Super Markets, allegedly paid $300,000 which was the majority cost of the rally that preceded the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Controversial radio host Alex Jones arranged for the contribution to pay for the rally at the Ellipse where Trump spoke, which cost about $500,000, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The WSJ reported that Julie Jenkins Fancelli, a prominent donor to the Trump campaign and heiress to the Publix Super Markets Inc. chain, committed about $300,000 in funding through a top fundraising official for former President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, according to organizers. The WSJ reports that her money paid for the lion’s share of the roughly $500,000 rally at the Ellipse where Mr. Trump spoke.
Fancelli reportedly donated more than $980,000 to the Trump campaign and the Republican Party during the 2020 election cycle.
The grocery store has distanced itself from Fancelli.
“Mrs. Fancelli is not an employee of Publix Super Markets, and is neither involved in our business operations, nor does she represent the company in any way. We cannot comment on Mrs. Fancelli’s actions,” the company said, WFLA reported. “The violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was a national tragedy. The deplorable actions that occurred that day do not represent the values, work or opinions of Publix Super Markets.”
Mrs. Fancelli is not an employee of Publix Super Markets, and is neither involved in our business operations, nor does she represent the company in any way. We cannot comment on Mrs. Fancelli’s actions.
— PublixHelps (@PublixHelps) January 30, 2021
The WSJ also reports that: Another far-right activist and leader of the “Stop the Steal” movement, Ali Alexander, helped coordinate planning with Caroline Wren, a fundraising official who was paid by the Trump campaign for much of 2020 and who was tapped by Ms. Fancelli to organize and fund an event on her behalf, organizers said. On social media, Mr. Alexander had targeted Jan. 6 as a key date for supporters to gather in Washington to contest the 2020-election certification results. The week of the rally, he tweeted a flyer for the event saying: “DC becomes FORT TRUMP starting tomorrow on my orders!”
Ali Alexander has been deplatformed and is reportedly being targeted by the FBI.
More than 150 people have been arrested for involvement in the riot at the Capitol that left five people dead.