ADL alerts counterterrorism unit to 'LGBTQ+ hate' amplifiers Matt Walsh, Chris Rufo, Libs of TikTok

The Anti-Defamation League notified a law enforcement counterterrorism center about people it deems as "online amplifiers of LGBTQ+ hate," naming figures who scrutinize transgender ideology such as The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Chris Rufo and the "Libs of TikTok" social media account ran by Orthodox Jew Chaya Raichik. 

The ADL sent an email under the subject line of "White Supremacist Fight Clubs, Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate," in February 2023 to the Washington State Fusion Center, a self-described "unified counterterrorism, 'all crimes,' fusion center, and The Daily Signal wrote about the email Wednesday after obtaining it via Freedom of Information Act request.

The email reportedly resembles the ADL's January 2023 blog post titled "Online Amplifiers of Anti-LGBTQ+ Extremism," which names Raichik, Walsh, Rufo and the news outlet Blaze Media as well as the social media account "Gays Against Groomers" and its founder Jaimee Michell.

The ADL said in that blog post that it is "advocating for government partners to strengthen laws against perpetrators of online hate, as well as consulting with law enforcement partners to act on online hate speech that incites violence and/or credible threats."

There are no current investigations of Walsh, Rufo, Raichik, Libs of TikTok or Gays Against Groomers, according to Washington State Patrol Communications Director Chris Loftis, whose agency is a partner with the fusion center.

Washington state law enforcement agencies "treat every source of information the same, with appropriate appreciation and skepticism, regardless of where they might be on the political spectrum and do our due diligence assessing the validity of any information received," Loftis said. "If, after that type of broad-spectrum and multiple source review, we have actionable intelligence on a credible threat, we take appropriate action."

He also said that law enforcement does not open any investigations at the direction of the ADL. "We receive tips from a variety of sources and interested parties and we follow each to its logical conclusion to assess if any possible public safety threat actually exists." 

Multiple high-profile accounts, including Raichik, Walsh and Rufo, slammed the ADL on X, formerly Twitter, after the revelation.

"This is an explicit attempt to use state force to shut down opposing speech at gunpoint," Walsh wrote.

Rufo said the ADL is a "full-blown left-wing suppression group, with aspirations to mobilize the state against its ideological enemies."

"The @ADL asked a counterterrorism unit to investigate me because I criticized child predators," Raichik said, adding that she thinks the ADL has "completely lost their way." 

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.