When it became clear that several States were too close to call on election night, Vets for Trump initiated a plan of action to recruit and deploy volunteers who could assist local and State Republicans with recount efforts.
Two of these volunteers include one of our co-founders, 6-year Navy Veteran former Petty Officer Joshua Macias, and one of our organization’s Ambassadors, Army Veteran Antonio LaMotta.
Petty Officer Joshua Macias is licensed to conceal carry in the commonwealth of Virginia and he was unaware that reciprocity between the two States had recently ended.
Army Veteran Antonio LaMotta held to his constitutional carry rights and was open carrying.
Within 30 minutes of their arrival in Philadelphia they were surrounded by several police officers, interrogated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and held without charges for more than 18 hours.
At the time they were detained, Macias was utilizing Facebook Live on his public profile. Facebook immediately suspended his account therefore preventing our ability to provide video evidence of him being cooperative with law enforcement.
After the FBI determined that Macias and LaMotta were not a threat Philadelphia county district attorney, Larry Krasner, charged both men with violation of Uniform Firearms Act and conspiracy for carrying a concealed weapon. Both bonds were set at an egregious $750,000.
This is the same district attorney who refused to charge rioters and looters who recently destroyed countless businesses.
To discredit these veterans, CNN published without evidence an article alleging Macias and LaMotta were involved in delivering fake ballots, even admitting that they had no evidence in their own article. They later retracted the false title and replaced it.
The entire Vets for Trump organization and our members are calling for the immediate release of Macias and LaMotta and the resignation of Larry Krasner.
We have actively started fundraising for these individuals legal defense fund and ask the public for help in doing so at veteransfordonaldtrump.com