GoDaddy reviewing websites for links to Capitol insurrection

Web-hosting company GoDaddy is investigating services it provides to several organizations that were directly tied to the violent insurrection at the Capitol last month, the company told The Hill Tuesday. 

The investigation stems from a report by the nonprofit group Accountable.US which found that the company is the registrar for eight groups that were involved in activities leading up to the Jan. 6 riot.

A spokesperson for GoDaddy told The Hill that it is now looking into those connections, and stressed that using its service to “promote, encourage or engage in violence” violates company policies.

“If content goes beyond the exercise of expression and crosses over to inciting violence, we will take appropriate action,” the spokesperson added.

Accountable.US’s report, first obtained by The Hill, found that the online store of the right-wing militia group Oath Keepers is hosted by GoDaddy, which also serves as the site’s domain registrar. 

Nine people affiliated with the paramilitary group have been charged so far for their roles in the Capitol riot. The group allegedly conspired to swarm Congress and stop the Electoral College vote from being certified.

The report also notes that GoDaddy is the domain registrar for pro-Trump student group Turning Point USA. 

The nonprofit arm of the group bused supporters to the “March to Save America” rally ahead of the storming and its founder Charlie Kirk promoted the false narrative that the November election was stolen from former President Trump. 

Women For America First’s website is also registered by GoDaddy, according to Accountable.US’s report. The group headed up the organization of the rally and had been urging supporters to join a “caravan” headed to the event.

Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US, said that GoDaddy should have already severed ties with the websites in the report.

“The mainstream online vendors shouldn’t have to wait for public scrutiny before cutting ties with groups that traffic in hate and dangerous rhetoric,” he told The Hill in a statement. “That’s a value judgment, and for some reason they have yet to render one against the groups that incited the deadly sedition at the Capitol.” 

GoDaddy has kicked right-wing sites tied to violence from its services in the past, most notably Gab after news emerged that Robert Bowers, the lone suspect of the deadly 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, frequently posted on the fringe social media site.