A Minnesota state politician has endorsed members of a family who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, promoting a fundraiser on Facebook for what he calls “a good family.” Republican state Sen. Mark Koran wrote that the members of the Westbury family were just people “who could use some help” fighting charges for “a variety of crimes.” In Koran’s view, some of the charges were “very serious” while others “seem to be just to punish opposing views.” “All I’m asking is that they need assistance to mount a fair defense from an over bearing Dept of Justice. They are a good family!”

The $50,000 fundraiser was started on GiveSendGo, a Christian fundraising platform, by Rochelle Westbury, who wrote that people attended the riot solely to pray and that the ”tyrannical government” prosecuting her family “is coming to a Theatre near you.” Koran did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment. Westbury told the outlet that she didn’t know who they were. “I don’t know if you’re good guys or bad guys, so I don’t know what to say.”