Revealed: The three pro-gun activist brothers behind Facebook groups in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York organizing anti-quarantine protests claiming 'politicians are forcing us to hand over our freedoms' (16 Pics)
Three far-right, pro-gun brothers are behind a slew of anti-quarantine Facebook groups galvanizing protests and urging tens of thousands of followers to decry state lockdowns.
Ben Dorr, the political director of a group called Minnesota Gun Rights and siblings Christopher Dorr, the director of Ohio Gun Owners, and Aaron Dorr, the executive director of Iowa Gun Owners are behind at least four state anti-quarantine Facebook groups with a combined following of over 200,000 members.
The three have created Facebook groups calling for protests in Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
While at first glance the demonstrations cropping up across the nation appear to be organic, the coordination of these brothers on Facebook means they’re actually being engineered by a network of conservative directors.
Their activism echoes President Donald Trump's tweets for the governors to 'liberate' states on coronavirus lockdowns, claiming states like Virginia have their Second Amendment rights 'under siege'.
Three conservative, pro-gun brothers Ben Dorr (above), Christopher Dorr, and Aaron Dorr are running at least four massive state anti-quarantine Facebook groups urging the public to protest. Ben is the political director of a group called Minnesota Gun Rights
Christopher Dorr (left) is the director of Ohio Gun Owners and Aaron Dorr (right) is the executive director of Iowa Gun Owners
Ben Dorr created a Facebook group entitled Wisconsinites Against Excessive Quarantine on Wednesday, which now has over 99,000 members. Dorr and group members created an event for a drive-in rally at the state capital of Madison scheduled for Friday
Chris Dorr created Pennsylvanians Against Excessive Quarantine that has over 65,000 members. All the pages had similar description pages saying: Politicians are on a power trip, controlling our lives, destroying our businesses, passing laws behind the cover of darkness and forcing us to hand over our freedoms'
Chris Dorr also created the Ohioans Against Excessive Quarantine page, which has more than 14,000 members
Aaron Dorr created New Yorkers Against Excessive Quarantine group which has over 24,000 members. In the description page he wrote: While seizing power at a breathtaking pace, Andrew Cuomo is sending NY's economy into a death spiral! This is madness. We are fighting back, with action steps fro New Yorkers who want to make their voices heard'
The Dorr brothers appear to manage a series of pro-gun groups that range across different states from Iowa, Minnesota to New York. All seek to discredit organizations like the National Rifle Association for being too restrictive on gun safety.
The three attended the gun rights rally in Richmond, Virginia in January of this year.
Ben Dorr created a Facebook group entitled Wisconsinites Against Excessive Quarantine on Wednesday, which now has over 99,000 members.
Its description says: 'It's time to OPEN OUR STATE and STOP Gov Evers' Excessive Quarantine! Politicians are on a power trip, controlling our lives, destroying our businesses, passing laws behind the cover of darkness and forcing us to hand over our freedoms and our livelihood!'
Dorr and group members created an event for a drive-in rally at the state capital of Madison next Friday according to a Washington Post report, that has already seen hundreds of members pledge to participate.
The page also guides visitors to a website called 'Wisconsin Firearms Coalition' where people are encouraged to join for a fee. Another page asking users to join a Minnesota group of the Firearms Coalition offered several rates for membership, from $35 to $1,000.
Chris Dorr created Pennsylvanians Against Excessive Quarantine that has over 65,000 members and Ohioans Against Excessive Quarantine, which has more than 14,000 members.
Brothers together: Aaron Dorr (left), Ben Door (third right in beanie) and Christopher Dorr (second right giving a thumbs up) pictured in front of a pro-gun rights flag at a gun rights rally in Richmond, Virginia on January 20
Christopher Dorr is listed as the director for the board of Ohio Gun Owners, pictured above speaking in a video about the organization
Aaron Dorr speaking in a video about Missouri's Firearms Coalition
He is listed as the director for the board of Ohio Gun Owners, according to his social media.
'Chris first got involved in the fight to defend and advance our 2nd Amendment rights back in 2009 in his home state of Iowa where he helped Iowa Gun Owners get “Shall-Issue” law passed in 2010,' his biography on the Ohio Gun Owners website says.
Aaron Dorr created New Yorkers Against Excessive Quarantine group which has over 24,000 members.
The descriptions on all of their pages are practically identical, accusing local governors of abusing power and controlling the lives of constituents.
Similar Facebook groups have since cropped up in Michigan, Illinois, Texas and Delaware.
In these Facebook groups some people peddle right-wing conspiracy theories. In the Wisconsin page, members posed the theory that Governor Tony Evers imposed a lockdown to ‘appease pharmaceutical giants’.
The groups also call for 'drive-in' protests that practice social distancing but still express dissent towards officials.
On Sunday President Trump defended anti-quarantine protests, calling demonstrators 'good people' who were suffering from 'cabin fever'
However, these brothers are known to local politicians.
'The brothers will do anything to fan the flames of a controversial issue, and maybe make a quick nickel,' Republican Clel Baudler, a former Iowa state legislator, said to the Post.
The Dorr brothers have bypassed certain laws that require them to register as lobbyists, which makes these Facebook groups appear as if they're operated by grassroots activism.
However, Facebook says it won't take down the group because the activity is not illegal in the states where the groups are based.
On Sunday President Trump defended anti-quarantine protests, calling demonstrators 'good people' who were suffering from 'cabin fever.'
'They want their lives back. I've never seen so many American flags. These people love our country. They want to get back to work,' Trump said in a press briefing on Sunday.
The protest organization efforts by the conservative figures also points to a division along party line on the lockdowns.
Nearly 70 percent of Republicans said they supported a national stay-at-home order. Meanwhile, 95 percent of Democrats backed such a measure, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll.
A man cheers and celebrates during a 'Liberate Minnesota' protest in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday
A nurse stands in a street blocking the back of an anti-quarantine protester during a demonstration in Denver, Colorado on Sunday
Justin Bailey, of Tacoma holds an assault rifle and a flag as he protests in Washington on Sunday
Residents protest stay-at-home orders involving the closing of beaches and walking paths in Encinitas, California
Still public health experts say that the stay-at-home orders are necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 that has killed more than 40,000 so far.
But the Trump administration is already touting a three-phase strategy to reopen the country.
‘If people feel that way, you’re allowed to protest. Some governors have gone too far, some of the things that happened are maybe not so appropriate,’ Trump said Sunday.
Some conservative, pro-Trump groups have already helped organize and promote demonstrations.
Last week’s dramatic protest in Lansing, Michigan, was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition whose founders are Republican state lawmaker Matt Maddock and his wife Meshawn Maddock who sits on the Trump campaign’s advisory board.
She spoke on Jeanine Pirro’s Fox show on Saturday, leading the host to tell her, 'Keep going. Thank you.'
Last week’s dramatic protest in Lansing, Michigan, was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition whose founders are Republican state lawmaker Matt Maddock and his wife Meshawn Maddock who sits on the Trump campaign’s advisory board. She spoke on Jeanine Pirro’s Fox show on Saturday, leading the host to tell her, 'Keep going. Thank you.'
.@meshawnmaria joins me tonight, and we chat about the ongoing protests in her state over the Coronavirus shutdown.
1,487 people are talking about this
Fox host Tucker Carlson chimed in saying: ‘Thank you for coming on tonight, and thank you for exercising your constitutionally protected rights as an American.
The Michigan Freedom Fund also promoted those demonstrations and spent hundreds of dollars to advertise protests on Facebook.
The group is headed by Greg McNeilly, an adviser to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ family.
While Facebook has deployed a team of fact checkers to buckle down on banning false and misleading posts promoting false cures and dangerous myths about the pandemic, some are pleading for the tech giant to stop these anti-government organizers as well.
'It’s understandable that people are upset about the difficult situation we’re in, but they’re clearly being riled up by people with an obvious anti-government agenda,' Portland software company writer Zachary Elwood, who blogs about disinformation and has tracked some activity by the Dorr brothers said.
'Facebook shouldn’t make it so easy to do that.'
Revealed: The three pro-gun activist brothers behind Facebook groups in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York organizing anti-quarantine protests claiming 'politicians are forcing us to hand over our freedoms' (16 Pics)
![Revealed: The three pro-gun activist brothers behind Facebook groups in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York organizing anti-quarantine protests claiming 'politicians are forcing us to hand over our freedoms' (16 Pics)]()
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April 20, 2020
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