via X @charliekirk11
CV NEWS FEED // Thousands of people have united to give financial and moral support to retired Navy officer Michael Cassidy, hours after he beheaded a “holiday Satanic display” at the Iowa State Capitol.
After destroying the Satan statue Thursday, Cassidy promptly turned himself in to police. He was later charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief.
Cassidy explained that he tore down the display to “awaken Christians to the anti-Christian acts promoted by our government.” Many observers instantly hailed him as a hero.
Thursday night, The Republic Sentinel Editor Ben Zeisloft announced a campaign on the Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo to help raise money for Cassidy’s legal defense. Zeisloft’s publication initially broke the story of the act.
Less than two hours after the journalist posted the fundraising link on X (formerly Twitter), Cassidy stated that he was “overwhelmed” by the amount of support pouring in for him.
“People have been asking me and yes, the below GiveSendGo link is legitimate,” he noted.
“We’re going to win,” Cassidy added. “God bless America.”
Shortly after midnight on Friday, Cassidy posted another update.
“Truly humbled by y’alls support,” he wrote. “We raised the $20k we were looking for in just a couple hours. I directed the campaign to be paused – we have enough for now.”
The military man offered words of thanks for Zeisloft and the Sentinel, as well as his defense attorney R. Davis Younts and a trio of well-known political commentators who used their large platforms to promote his defense.
Human Events Senior Editor Jack Posobiec posted a link to the GiveSendGo page. Posobiec has over two million followers on X. Like Cassidy, he is also a former Navy officer.
Daily Wire host Matt Walsh – who has nearly three million X followers – called Cassidy’s actions “awesome.”
“Someone needed to do it and he stepped up,” Walsh wrote on the platform early Thursday evening. “If this man is arrested I will gladly donate to his legal defense.”
Posobiec and Walsh are both Catholics.
In addition, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk said that his organization would pledge $10,000 to Cassidy’s defense.
Friday morning, Cassidy received perhaps his most high-profile supporter in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Satan has no place in our society and should not be recognized as a ‘religion’ by the federal government,” wrote the governor and current Republican presidential candidate on X.
“I’ll chip in to contribute to this veteran’s legal defense fund,” he continued. “Good prevails over evil – that’s the American spirit.”
Cassidy thanked DeSantis, a fellow Navy veteran, for his support. Cassidy added:
My deepest hope is that Americans of all political persuasions can unite and agree that:
1. Jesus Christ is Lord
2. Satan is evil
Early Friday afternoon, Cassidy announced that he decided to open his defense fund back up to donations due to the prospect of “more potential legal charges.”
“All donations in excess of what is directly related to my defense shall be donated to a Christian legal fund,” he indicated.
Cassidy also posted strong words for self-professed Christians who did not support his actions the day before.
“To Christians who defend Satanic altars when they speak with their church, family, friends, coworkers, or on [X],” he wrote. “Would you use the same argument if you were speaking with God?”
