Hawley Launches Probe Into LA Riot Funding: ‘This Violence Isn’t Spontaneous’
Calls for a probe into the funding behind the Los Angeles riots reached the United States Senate on Wednesday, with Josh Hawley (R-MO) being the first Republican to do so publicly.
For days, news from Los Angeles has shown rioters donning pricey face shields, earphones, and other protective gear in preparation for battles with cops and immigration agents, all as a result of a weekend immigration raid by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Even established media leaders in the City of Angels have condemned the provision of such gear, which conceals demonstrators’ faces while protecting them from less-lethal crowd control measures employed by the National Guard and Marines.
It all piqued Hawley’s interest, and he said on Wednesday that he will conduct an inquiry into the violence as chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism.
“Who is funding the LA riots? This violence isn’t spontaneous,” he wrote on social media.
In the letter, Hawley addresses the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, a special interest group that got funds from the Biden administration and has been tied to several rallies. Critics allege that its participants were present at many violent demonstrations.
“While peaceful protest is a cornerstone of American democracy, these demonstrations have escalated into lawless mob actions. They have obstructed federal law enforcement, endangered public safety, and disrupted the rule of law. This lawlessness is unacceptable. It must end,” the letter states.
Hawley’s subcommittee, which has subpoena power, is requesting that Salas disclose all recorded contacts concerning protest preparation in the days leading up to the disturbances, as well as any financial papers relating to the purchase of equipment.