Ferguson Police Department Officer, and State Representative are Two Behind Donation Site for Darren Wilson

Aug 31

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LA Times reports that two GoFundMe pages were setup to receive money for Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson. Darren Wilson was identified by the Ferguson Chief of Police as the officer who killed 18-year old Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO on August 9, 2014.

The two separate pages were titled “Support Officer Darren Wilson” that raised $235,750, and “Support Officer Wilson” that raised $197,620.

Because of racially offensive remarks in the comment section of one of the pages, Gofundme removed them.

On Saturday, August 30, 2014, both donation pages stopped taking donations around the same time. The pages’ organizers did not explain why. Kelsea Little, a spokesperson for GoFundMe, stated that the pages were not shutdown by GoFundMe. A Facebook Page titled “Support Officer Wilson” posted that lawyers were working on a solution as to why the GoFundMe page was shut down. Thus, there is controversy about how and why the pages were taken down. 

The LA Times did ferret out information that the donation page titled “Support Officer Wilson,” that raised $197,620, is run by a St. Louis police charity called “Shield of Hope.” GoFundMe validated the donation recipient. According to the state’s nonprofit records, Shield of Hope’s officers are Joseph Eagan, Timothy Zoll, and Jeffrey Roorda.

Timothy Zoll is the public information officer for the Ferguson Police Department. His participation in raising money for Darren Wilson can be seen as a strong conflict of interest. It also gives reason to believe why the store video was released to the public, but not any written reports for the killing of Michael Brown.

Joseph Eagen

Joseph Eagan

 

Joseph Eagan is a city council member for Florissant, a nearby city to Ferguson and one of the cities that provided police to Ferguson after Michael was killed.

 

Jeffrey Roorda

Jeffrey Roorda

Jeffrey Roorda is representative for District 113 in the Missouri House of Representatives.  He is a member of the Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee for the Missouri House of Representatives. His participation in raising funds for Darren Wilson also demonstrates a strong conflict of interest, as he was elected to represent the people of his District, and not just police officers.

 

The other page, “Support Officer Darren Wilson” that raised $235,750, was opened by someone anonymously who uses the handle “Stand Up.”   Little information has been given to donors about who is running the anonymous fundraising effort. Two weeks ago, a message was posted on the donation page stating that they were working with Shield of Hope to become a verified recipient, but that has not happened. That anonymous person could be $235,750 richer without any obligation to give the donations to Darren Wilson. GoFundMe’s spokesperson told the LA Times that the anonymously run donation page had also been removed from its search results, adding that

“this campaign no longer meets GoFundMe’s stated requirement of having a valid Facebook account connected.”

Michael Brown’s family also has a GoFundMe page, which is ran by attorney Benjamin Crump. As of Sunday afternoon, $314,099 was raised.

 

Posted on 08/31/2014, in Michael Brown - Ferguson and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 54 Comments.

  1. Jueseppi B. | 08/31/2014 at 10:43 pm

    Reblogged this on MrMilitantNegro™.

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  2. Dr. Rex | 08/31/2014 at 11:28 pm

    Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    More than shaking my head!!!

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  3. Jan Hobbs | 08/31/2014 at 11:32 pm

    Reblogged this on Blissfully Single and commented:
    WTH???
    I will say there is some serious conflict of interest here. Wow… I am at a loss for words.

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  4. Dr. Rex | 08/31/2014 at 11:48 pm

    There!! To some of the donors …. seems like you’ve just been had!!

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  5. Lolypop | 09/01/2014 at 1:46 am

    Why do those who are paid by the city need donors?
    I can understand Michael Brown’s family needing donors. They had a son to bury plus other expenses and lawyers.

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  6. John Kerans (@johnkerans) | 09/01/2014 at 1:47 am

    Jeffrey Roorda was fired from his job as a police officer by the City of Arnold, MO in 2001 for two instances of lying. Instance one involved filing a false incident report to “cover” misdeeds by a fellow officer during an arrest. Instance two involved lying about a closed door meeting with the Arnold police chief in which Roorda claimed the chief was abusive.

    The firing of officer Roorda was appealed (by his attorney) to a state court, which upheld the action taken by the City of Arnold. In other words, the firing for lying was found to be justified.

    The case number is WD 62570 (Roorda v, City of Arnold) and the decision was rendered on June 22, 2004. WD in the case number stands for the “Western District” of the Missouri appellate court system.

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    • mindyme62 | 09/01/2014 at 6:56 am

      This makes me so mad. But I am happy that the Michael Brown’s family is also receiving what I’m sure is badly needed funds.

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      • Xena | 09/01/2014 at 3:27 pm

        Yes! They have work to do in advocating for justice, which includes travel expenses and such. They might also need professional help in dealing with the trauma of losing their son, brother, nephew, cousin. My heart goes out to them.

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    • mindyme62 | 09/01/2014 at 6:57 am

      I should have asked your permission to share that information on the St. Louis Police Officers association FB page.

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    • Xena | 09/01/2014 at 3:35 pm

      John,
      Welcome to Blackbutterfly7. Thanks for the information. I found the Appellate Court’s decision.

      So, that fool thought that FMLA because his wife was expecting a child means that he should have been given paid sick leave? Geeze!

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  8. ladystclaire | 09/01/2014 at 11:36 am

    @Dr. Rex, if indeed they have been had, that’s good enough for them!!! It really is mind blowing, to know that some people in this stinking country, can see fit to support a “MURDERER,” all because his victim was AN AFRICAN AMERICAN. THE I don’t understand and, never have is, why are those with dark skin so hated by, some whites in this country especially when they themselves, risk getting the most dangerous form of skin cancer, trying to get dark themselves!!!!!!!!!!

    Did you guys know, that AA are being blamed for, the problems in this country? Now mind you, this is the only group of people, WHO NEVER ASKED TO COME HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE and, THEY SURELY DIDN’T GET HERE BY, CROSSING ANY BORDERS ILLEGALLY. YET, they are the reason for all that ails this country.

    AA are not in any way responsible for, “THE HYPOCRISSY” that is The U.S.A! People in other countries are shaking their heads, at the hatred that’s being displayed in “THE LAND OF THE FREE, AND THE HOME OF A LOT OF COWARDS!” I say this because, for years some in this country, have tried to tell those in other countries, how to treat their citizens when, they can ill aford to be doing so because, of the way some are treated in this country.

    Racism never left this country and, the sad thing about it is, “IT WILL NEVER” be gone as long as racist parents keep passing, this ugly family heirloom down from generation to generation!!!

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    • mindyme62 | 09/01/2014 at 8:18 pm

      I feel that way sometimes, that racism will always exist, but I believe we must never stop trying to keep to change it.

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  9. ladystclaire | 09/01/2014 at 11:51 am

    Darren Wilson, was also employed by another police dept and left under suspicious circumstances. Like a lot of other LEO who are employed by Ferguson police dept., he is definitely a rogue cop! IMO, he shouldn’t even have a job any more!

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  10. ladystclaire | 09/01/2014 at 12:15 pm

    BTW, only in America can a person kill someone and, have “IMBECILES” donate money to them. Did the choke hold murderer, on the NYPD have someone setting up a beg site for him? The Fogen case really sent out a lot of wrong, messages to the rest of society.

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    • Xena | 09/01/2014 at 3:24 pm

      Ladystclaire,
      Let them donate as much money as they want. Know why? With the racist comments that GoFundMe had to remove, those donors are sure to go on the government’s radar.

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  11. towerflower | 09/01/2014 at 12:55 pm

    OT: Remember Pat Johnson? The motorcycle/gun shop owner who was buds with Zimmerman and Zimmerman was guarding his shop after hours? He was running for mayor of Deland.

    Well the elections are over and “Johnson did not fare well on Election Day. Apgar captured 73 percent of the vote. It was the most lopsided victory of all city and county races between candidates in Volusia County. ”

    Hello world!

    Pat Rice: As political contests go, this one was unusual

    Published: Saturday, August 30, 2014 at 5:30 a.m.

    Last Modified: Saturday, August 30, 2014 at 11:23 p.m.

    The entire News-Journal team worked diligently to cover the many political contests leading up to last week’s primary election. Still, reporter Anthony DeFeo deserves special mention. DeFeo had to cover DeLand mayoral candidate Pat Johnson.

    It’s difficult in the space allowed here to mention all the unusual twists and turns that came with Johnson’s candidacy. So I’ll begin in mid-July, as the DeLand mayoral race became increasingly heated. I emailed Johnson and incumbent Mayor Bob Apgar with a proposal that I moderate a News-Journal debate between them.

    Apgar agreed immediately. But Johnson claimed I was friends with Apgar and declined the invitation to debate. (For the record, I am professionally friendly with Apgar, as I try to be with all public officials. But we’re not close. I can recall only one conversation with Apgar in more than four years that lasted more than five minutes.) After Johnson declined to debate, he took out a front-page ad in another publication accusing me of trying to set up a one-sided debate.

    Then, a DeLand police report surfaced about George Zimmerman being spotted late one night behind Johnson’s motorcycle and gun store, Pompano Pat’s. Zimmerman — acquitted last year for the shooting death of black teen Trayvon Martin, a case that drew international attention — told police he was there at Johnson’s request to keep an eye on the store, which was recently burglarized.

    When Zimmerman pops up behind a mayoral candidate’s store, that’s news. In a press release, Johnson’s campaign said the incident was “nothing more than a negative political campaign stunt” intended to hurt Johnson’s mayoral campaign. “This stunt establishes an all new low in Florida Politics,” Johnson’s campaign manager wrote.

    On his campaign Facebook page and in mailings, Johnson also touted his law enforcement experience. DeFeo checked records at the DeLand Police Department and found that Johnson was fired for insubordination in 1991. Johnson, though, insisted he had quit the force. “If there’s one piece of paper that’s negative on my file, they loaded my file — deliberately and to try to make me look bad,” Johnson said. City officials assured The News-Journal that Johnson’s file wasn’t “loaded.”

    About that time, I received a Johnson campaign flier at my home, and in it he said he “graduated Spruce Creek High School, and FSU with a degree in Radiological Sciences.” Given that Johnson had just denied being fired when city records clearly showed the opposite, I asked managing editor Cory Lancaster to work with DeFeo to verify Johnson’s educational background.

    Florida State University officials could find no record that Johnson had received a degree from the school. Further, an FSU official pointed out that the school doesn’t offer a Radiological Sciences degree.

    Johnson declined to discuss the FSU degree when DeFeo went to his store, and instead referred DeFeo to an attorney. “I’m done talking to The News-Journal,” Johnson said. DeFeo came back to the store a few minutes later to drop off questions in writing, and Johnson asked DeLand police to give DeFeo a warning not to trespass on his business.

    After DeFeo’s story about the FSU degree published, someone posted a photo of DeFeo wearing a 1970s-style disco shirt on one of Johnson’s Facebook campaign sites. That photo was taken at this year’s corporate spelling bee for the Volusia Literacy Council, at which various teams dress in costumes. The News-Journal team went as disco dancers. Accompanying the photo was a post implying DeFeo was writing stories about Johnson because DeFeo was gay and upset at Johnson rejecting him. (“The supposed fact that I was gay was certainly news to my girlfriend,” DeFeo quipped later.) That post was taken down shortly after it was put up, but not before DeFeo and a group of News-Journal editors read it.

    Then, at a Friday night forum at DeLand’s Artisan Alley, DeFeo again tried to ask Johnson about the FSU degree. A Johnson campaign worker told DeFeo to “hit the road.”

    Johnson did not fare well on Election Day. Apgar captured 73 percent of the vote. It was the most lopsided victory of all city and county races between candidates in Volusia County.

    DeFeo called Johnson for comment election night. “You were told not to call me,” Johnson said. “As of tomorrow, I’m no longer a public figure. If you write about me after tomorrow, I’ve been told by four different lawyers I can sue your (expletive deleted).”

    I’ll end with this: Thank you, News-Journal reporter Anthony DeFeo, for doing your job.

    Rice is The News-Journal’s editor. His email is Pat.Rice@news-jrnl.com.

    So Zimmerman has managed to destroy another person though his association with them and maybe rightly so in this case. Johnson was exposed as to what he was….a fired cop who lied about his credentials/schooling and whose supporters tried to claim the reporter who broke the story was gay and mad about being rejected by Johnson.

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    • Xena | 09/01/2014 at 3:16 pm

      Wow Towerflower! Thanks for the update. Johnson certainly did not show himself as a professional and it was my suspicion that by his campaigning on the issue of crime, that the burglary of his store, and Zimmerman patrolling it, were attempts to convince DeLand citizens that they have a problem with crime. Of course, that would mean that only Johnson and Zimmerman could resolve it. Yeah. Sure. The people of DeLand don’t want Zimmerman killing their children for walking home from the store.

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    • mindyme62 | 09/01/2014 at 8:21 pm

      El Tubs is like a disease he spreads wherever he goes.

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    • shannoninmiami | 09/02/2014 at 12:12 am

      he tried to act like his opponent was playing political tricks on him! How, sending the cops to his business in the middle of the night to question Zimmerman lurking out back? GTFOH
      I can’t believe how gross this guy is! he gave that POS a gun! And advertised it to the whole world! thought it was cool to give this child killing worm a new gun after his kangaroo court!
      notice how ALL Zimmerman’s acquaintances are compulsive liars, thieves & losers just like him! every single one of them!

      It’s well known how Zimmerman burns everyone he comes in contact w/ & his adult victims came voluntarily so they got exactly what they deserved.

      Zimmerman’s only innocent victims were Trayvon, his cousin & the other little girl. not only were they defenseless, they were the only ones who actually tried to get away.

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  12. yahtzeebutterfly | 09/01/2014 at 6:39 pm

    Another update:

    “Family files $5 million lawsuit over Ebony stories on Kendrick Johnson case”

    http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/29/us/georgia-kendrick-johnson-ebony-lawsuit/

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    • mindyme62 | 09/01/2014 at 8:22 pm

      that’s interesting.

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    • Xena | 09/01/2014 at 10:26 pm

      I just read the lawsuit and it’s crazy. Rosen did not write their actual names in the articles published by Ebony. The plaintiff’s asked that Ebony remove the article, and Ebony did so, but because they did not publish a retraction, the Bell’s are now suing. Since there was an independent autopsy and there is an ongoing investigation, that lawsuit might be dismissed without prejudice or stayed, pending the FBI’s investigation.

      It’s not good that the Bell’s have called attention to themselves with this. The fight that Kendrick was in on the bus was published elsewhere. People were connecting dots, not because of the article in Ebony, but because they sought answers.

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  13. towerflower | 09/01/2014 at 6:56 pm

    Back on topic……What I find disgusting is that on the FB site for the support of DW, they made it sound like gofundme just shut them down. Of course that sent everyone into a rage, talking about getting even to have Brown’s site shut down and how to get around gofundme to continue getting donations to Wilson.

    Now we find out that gofundme didn’t have anything to do with shutting down the fundraiser and that it was done by the creators of the sites themselves. So….they lied to the FB site and told them something else in the beginning, imo, just to get other fired up against the Brown supporters. They have since fessed up that it was a decision by the creators but too late your damage was already done and you managed to spread your hatred while disguising yourself as a charity.

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    • Xena | 09/01/2014 at 10:06 pm

      Towerflower,

      So….they lied to the FB site and told them something else in the beginning, imo, just to get other fired up against the Brown supporters. They have since fessed up that it was a decision by the creators but too late your damage was already done and you managed to spread your hatred while disguising yourself as a charity.

      Their appetite is hate and they bake-up lies in attempt to hurt others, disrespect the dead, and instill fear. The more they do that, the more they call attention to themselves but it doesn’t work out as a positive for them. Their credibility is shattered.

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  14. shannoninmiami | 09/01/2014 at 11:54 pm

    From The New York Times:

    Second Grand Jury Indicts Officer in Shooting Death

    A grand jury indicted Randall Kerrick, a white officer, on voluntary manslaughter charges for firing 10 shots into a young black man who had driven off the road and was apparently looking for help.

    I thought I saw him on the meme w.the other victims I’m gonna go look but I just wanted to post this while I have it.

    they said there hasn’t been a police officer indicted for murder in something like 30yrs. lets hope this is the 1st of many convictions of murdering cops around the country.

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  15. shannoninmiami | 09/02/2014 at 10:58 am

    Mr Roorda is also running for senate. I’m sure he has no intention of making a single buck off those 100s of thousands in ‘reward’ money he helped bring in.

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    • towerflower | 09/02/2014 at 1:01 pm

      Looks like Mr. Roorda also has a checkered past as a police officer…..looks like he was also fired for lying on statements against a suspect and his chief.

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  16. stuartbramhall | 09/02/2014 at 4:23 pm

    It makes sense to me that the sites were closed to further donations once they were exposed. Like the KKK and their white sheets, this kind of brazen racial hatred only flourishes in the shadows. It withers once you shed light on it.

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    • Xena | 09/02/2014 at 11:20 pm

      Jeanne,
      Your comment made me smile. I thought about the saying that they scatter like cockroaches when the lights are turned on. 🙂

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  17. Caleb Gee | 09/11/2014 at 4:43 pm

    These pigs run the government. It’s time for them to be forced out and make them join the unemployment line like so many of their victims have had to do.

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