Sen. Josh Hawley Calls for Legal Accountability for Funders of Violent Riots
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said that individuals or groups who finance riots that turn violent should face legal consequences.
Hawley made the comments on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime the same day he questioned FBI Director Kash Patel during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the agency’s oversight.
Patel testified that the FBI is tracking the flow of money behind acts of violence motivated by ideology, including attacks on religious institutions and faith-based communities.
“We are following the money,” Patel said, explaining that financial backers of organized unrest are a focus of ongoing investigations.
On Fox News, host Jesse Watters asked Hawley whether lawmakers could hold accountable those who fund activities that escalate into violence.
Hawley responded that financial backers cannot claim ignorance when their support is directed toward organized unrest.
“Well listen, you certainly cannot fund crimes knowingly, and here’s the thing. When you look at the planned nature of so many of these rallies, so many of these riots, so many of these so-called uprisings, the funders have got to know what it is they’re funding,” Hawley said.
“These are smart people. It’s one of the reasons that they’ve concealed this money in their network for so long. They know what they’re funding, so I think the answer is yes.”
Hawley continued, “If you’re out there funding rioting that harms people, that assaults cops, that burns down buildings, yeah, that’s a crime. You ought to be held responsible for that. You ought to answer for that in court. That’s one of the reasons why [FBI Director] Kash Patel today, seeing as he’s going after the money, [is] such a big deal.”
In June, Patel announced that the FBI would investigate the sources of funding behind protests in Los Angeles that targeted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.
The demonstrations escalated into riots, resulting in vandalism of federal buildings, the burning of Waymo vehicles, and attacks on law enforcement vehicles, including incidents where rioters blocked police cars on freeways and threw projectiles.
The unrest followed Trump administration initiatives to increase enforcement against illegal immigration.
Demonstrators had initially organized under the banner of protest, but violence quickly escalated into destruction of property and direct clashes with authorities.
Investigations into the Los Angeles riots have revealed connections between the events and outside organizations.
Patel cited reports linking the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a group with ties to pro-Chinese Communist Party businessman Neville Roy Singham, to the demonstrations.
Additional scrutiny came from a New York Post report, which uncovered state financial records showing that a progressive activist group connected to the protests had received both California state and federal government grants.
The findings raised new questions about whether taxpayer money indirectly supported activities that devolved into riots.
Patel’s testimony reinforced that federal investigators are examining these financial links as part of the broader effort to prevent politically motivated violence.
Hawley emphasized that going after the funders is a critical step. He argued that targeting only the individuals on the ground ignores the network of organizers and donors who provide resources for events that turn violent.
His comments suggest that lawmakers may push for additional accountability measures to ensure that financial backers of such activities face potential criminal charges.
The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing marked Patel’s latest opportunity to outline the FBI’s priorities under his leadership.
For Hawley and other Republicans, the focus on funding sources reflects a broader concern about organized networks driving unrest and violence across the country.
