Bill Ackman’s $10,000 Donation to ICE Officer
Billionaire Bill Ackman recently made headlines for donating $10,000 on GoFundMe for the ICE officer involved in the shooting of Renee Nicole Good. He mentioned his original intention was to contribute to the funds for the mothers who had also lost their lives, but he, well, missed that chance.
Ackman’s donation places him at the top of the list on a fundraising page dedicated to Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who, as federal officials stated, discharged a deadly “defensive shot” at Good, an anti-ICE protester and mother of three.
After some online discussion and speculation, Ackman, 59, revealed that he had simply forgotten about the donation.
“I believe strongly in our legal principles. Innocent until proven guilty. To that end, I supported Jonathan Ross’ GoFundMe and was also planning to support Renee Goode’s family’s GoFundMe (her GoFundMe was closed at the time I tried to offer assistance),” Ackman explained.
A GoFundMe campaign for Goode’s widow and children was closed after raising over $1.5 million, as the organizers felt it had reached a sufficient amount.
Ackman reflected on the tragedy, stating, “It’s a sad situation: a police officer trying to do his job, and a protester, who perhaps did not aim to harm anyone, but whose quick actions led to her death. We’re better off when we collaborate to tackle the complex issues that divide us.”
According to police reports, Good was killed during an operation in Minneapolis when she allegedly attempted to use her vehicle against ICE agents, resulting in an injury to Ross.
A video capturing Good’s final moments indicates that Ross had previously faced a car ramming incident at work, with bullets striking his windshield and driver’s side window.
The GoFundMe for Ross aims to cover “any legal services this officer needs,” and has garnered just over $270,000 since Ackman’s contribution.
The organizers of Ross’ GoFundMe, who do not seem to have personal ties to him, criticized Good’s viral campaign as “media coverage of domestic terrorism.”
They added, “I think any police officer who was 1000 percent justified in a shooting deserves support from us.”
In an update shared on Sunday, the organizers mentioned they would refund all donations if they do not hear from Ross’ family by March 9.
Ackman, a noted conservative and founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, has a remarkable net worth of $9.3 billion, making his $10,000 donation a mere fraction of his total wealth.
