Data breach shows McKinney businessman donated to Canadian ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests

A McKinney businessman gave $20,000 to support the “Freedom Convoy” protests that have been roiling Canada’s border cities over the past few days, according to multiple news reports. A data breach of the Christian crowdfunding website GiveSendGo on Sunday night revealed that Ben Pogue, president and CEO of Pogue Construction, made the donation to the trucker convoy, which has included a series of protests and blockades in Canada against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions. Pogue could not be reached by phone Tuesday morning. A representative for Pogue Construction said he did not have a comment. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for the first time in Canadian history, invoked the Emergencies Act in response to the protests.

Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) to GoFundMe Inc. to investigate potential violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). The crowd-funding platform’s integrity came into question, according to a release from Paxton’s office, after it removed the fundraising campaign for the Canadian truckers. Pogue has donated to conservative causes in the past. According to The Associated Press, Pogue provided the use of a private jet to President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, and ABC News reported that Pogue donated more than $200,000 in cash to that campaign. His father, Paul Pogue, later received a presidential pardon from Trump. Paul Pogue pleaded guilty in 2010 to underpaying taxes by more than $400,000 and had been sentenced to three years in prison. Pogue Construction was founded by Paul Pogue in Sherman in 1979, according to the company’s website. The company works in the residential and commercial construction markets and has offices in Fort Worth and The Woodlands, north of Houston. Anonymous hackers leaked the donation data, according to The New York Times, listing “records of more than 92,000 donations totaling more than $8 million.” The Times reviewed the data, which showed “some $4.3 million came from Canada, while an additional $3.6 million originated in the United States, though the United States accounted for the most individual donations.” One of the largest American donations — for $90,000 — was attributed to Thomas M. Siebel, a billionaire Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor, The Times reported.