Fact check: Far-right conservatives claim Republican strategist supports Democratic Party

Republican strategist Stafford Jones was chastised by fellow conservatives as he was leaving a Duval County GOP meeting Monday where he was called a “satanist” and accused of funneling money to Democrats.

Jones, who operates more than 60 political committees in Florida, serves as chairman of the Florida GOP Rules Committee. His tangled web of PACs, dark money and other organizations have been chronicled by various outlets over the years and is often a center of contention around the state during election season.

The former Alachua County GOP chairman, who has a long history of supporting conservative ideals and policymakers, has worked closely with his ally Pat Bainter of Data Targeting on an impressive list of successful campaigns that include Gov. Ron DeSantis, Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Renner, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and state Rep. Chuck Clemons.

Though some of the tactics used are questionable, they certainly have been effective.

But being a supporter of the Democratic Party? That’s a new claim Jones has never heard.

The issue

The issue boils down to the Social Justice political action committee that falls within Jones’ Florida network and is operated by Jones’ close friend Leiann McGinnis, according to the PAC’s campaign documents.

On Monday, far-right rabble-rouser Laura Loomer posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, screenshots of Social Justice contributions and its ties to Jones.

“Exclusive: Donations made to Democratic PAC in FL traces back to business address of @FloridaGOP Rules Committee Chair William Stafford Jones!” she wrote, before continuing to post more on the issue. “A lot of people are wondering how and why the alleged “red” Republican Party of Florida @FloridaGOP signed off on a rule change in May 2023 which would have denied President @real DOnalrdTrump ballot access in the state of Florida unless he signed a loyalty oath pledge.”

Thousands of social media users have shared the message or echoed the claim.

Loomer then shared a video Jones being followed and called names as he exited the Duval County Republican Executive Committee meeting where he had just spoken to a group about PACs. Duval County Sheriff T.K. Waters, a Republican who thanked Jones for his assistance in getting elected, was also in attendance that night.

But the PAC’s dealings aren’t new − and certainly don’t add up to “hundreds of thousands of dollars” going to Democrats, as Loomer claims in her posts. And even what little funding did, one could argue it was done so to strategically and intentionally to throw off others.

The facts

In 2021, The Gainesville Sun exclusively reported that the PAC was being used to send deceiving messages about the single-member district referendum in Alachua County. The ballot measure was originally sponsored by state Rep. Chuck Clemons with the hope of electing more Republican representation on the all-Democrat County Commission.

The mailers used quotes from the NAACP and local Black leaders to help sway the perception of single-member districts, which most local high-profile Democrats were against. Local leaders and the NAACP threatened to sue over the misleading mailers, but Jones’ camp argued the information was quoted accurately and legal to use.

Another group name in Loomer’s post that she cites as evidence of Jones’ ties to the Democrat Party is the Consortium of North East Florida Businesses. The group, however, shares the same address as Intersect Engagement, Inc., another business operated by Jones, and is just two suites from the Republican Party of Alachua County.Social Justice’s expenses total nearly $400,000 and has about $11,000 in donations to lower-level Democratic candidates, most of whom were in Jacksonville. Finance records, however, show that the donations were sent for races where no Republican was running or to weaker Democratic candidates who would go on to lose. By comparison, the group has spent hundreds of thousands on other PACs within Jones’ network and on companies that assist Republicans, like the Gainesville-based Data Targeting.

“These people who run our Republican Party are so pathetic and they are so weak,” wrote Loomer, who has been previously banned from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Venmo, PayPal, Uber and other companies.

It wouldn’t be the first time Jones has used a PAC to disguise itself or throw off voters, either.

“Turning Jacksonville Blue was a blinder committee that pushed oppo against Democratic Council candidate Garrett Dennis in 2019. Had nothing to do with Deegan or the 2023 cycle,” wrote Florida Politics reporter AG Gancarski on Monday.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Laura Loomer claims GOP's Stafford Jones used PACs to help Democrats