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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 25 November 2021

Acquitted and in demand, Rittenhouse ponders what’s next

who cater to conservatives The man who was shot and
could jump at the chance to wounded by Rittenhouse and
sign him. the family of one of the two
men killed are suing Keno-
Former Illinois Gov. Rod sha officials. Neither lawsuit
Blagojevich, who was re- names Rittenhouse as a de-
leased from prison last year fendant, and it wasn’t imme-
after then-President Don- diately clear if claims would
ald Trump commuted his be filed against him. The
sentence, told reporters in standard of proof is lower in
August that money he earns civil trials than in criminal
sending personalized greet- ones.
ings via the Cameo app is
“surprisingly lucrative.” A As Rittenhouse weighs his
personal video greeting from next moves, many conserva-
Blagojevich costs $100 and tives are rushing to tie them-
messages for business use are selves to him as a symbol of
$500. the vindicated right to self-
defense.
Blagojevich also started a
podcast, another possible op- Besides Carlson’s exclu-
(AP) — When he was acquit- said Andrew M. Stroth, a for- including thousands since his tion for Rittenhouse. sive interview, the host has a
ted of murder in shootings mer talent agent and an attor- acquittal. It’s not clear how documentary on Rittenhouse
during unrest in Wisconsin, ney in Chicago with no ties much an additional website, There’s also merchandise. upcoming in December,
Kyle Rittenhouse went from to Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse, freekyleusa.org, has raised. “Free Kyle” T-shirts and with footage from an em-
staring at possible life behind he said, “could monetize his other items that were sold bedded camera crew. Trump
bars to red-hot star of the brand and potentially make One email Tuesday from online after the shootings talked up Rittenhouse’s visit
right: an exclusive interview in the millions.” “Free Kyle USA,” sent under were eventually dropped by to Mar-a-Lago on Sean Han-
with Tucker Carlson and a the name of Rittenhouse’s the vendor after prosecutors nity’s show, complete with
visit with Donald Trump at Rittenhouse could get the mother, Wendy, called his criticized the sales. Acquittal photo.
Mar-a-Lago capped by a pho- $2 million that was raised acquittal “a victory for the might re-open that market.
to of both men smiling and for his bail, though there is truth, for justice, and for ev- Some of the most conserva-
snapping a thumbs-up. a legal battle for it. In Keno- ery American’s God-given In his interview with Fox tive members of Congress
sha County, where he was and unalienable right of self- News, Rittenhouse hinted — Reps. Madison Cawthorn,
For Rittenhouse, a year of le- tried, if a defendant is acquit- defense.” It said funds would that he was looking into pos- Paul Gosar and Matt Gaetz
gal uncertainty over whether ted, the entire bail amount is go toward case-related debts, sible libel lawsuits. “I feel like — took to social media to
his claim of self-defense typically refunded to whom- legal bills and then toward my life has been extremely dangle internship offers for
would stand up has given way ever posted it, upon a judge’s a scholarship fund for Rit- defamed,” he said, adding: “I Rittenhouse, though it’s not
to uncertainty over what’s order. The poster of the bail tenhouse so he can graduate have really good lawyers who clear whether they were se-
next. He told Carlson, in an is not necessarily the defen- from college without debt. are taking care of that right rious or if Rittenhouse even
appearance that spiked the dant, said Rebecca Matoska- now.” has an interest in such work.
host’s ratings by some 40%, Mentink, the clerk of courts He may not have to wait Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
that he hoped to become a for Kenosha County. around for donations. Stroth It’s not at all clear whether introduced a bill to award
nurse or maybe even a law- estimated Rittenhouse could Rittenhouse has a strong li- him the Congressional Med-
yer. He planned to “lay low” Rittenhouse’s bail was posted command a speaker’s fee on bel case. The threshold for al of Honor.
but would for sure leave the by his former attorney, John the lecture circuit of any- proving libel is far higher for
Midwest. Pierce, who said he has relin- where between $2,500 and figures in the public eye and Rittenhouse himself may
quished claim to the money. $25,000 a speech. those charged with crimes, need to move fast for the
Even as Rittenhouse figures Mark Richards, Ritten- even if they were later acquit- most gain from his story, Ba-
out his next moves, fundrais- house’s current attorney, said Both Stroth and Bachrach ted. chrach said.
ing continues on his behalf, in a Friday filing it should go said they would never seek to
ostensibly to retire legal bills to his client. Fightback Foun- represent Rittenhouse, and And Rittenhouse could be Of Rittenhouse’s fame, he
from his trial but perhaps in dation, the organization that that many speakers’ agents open to some civil liability of said: “I think it has a shelf
recognition that he may face raised the funds and trans- and publishers would con- his own. life, but I don’t think it will
civil lawsuits over the shoot- ferred them to Pierce so bail sider him too toxic. But some ever go away.”
ings. Rittenhouse has hinted could be paid, argues that the
he may bring defamation money should be refunded to
claims of his own, and could the organization.
seek possession of $2 million
in bail money raised by his Other fundraising opportu-
supporters. nities have opened up.

And some marketing experts After his acquittal, GoFund-
say Rittenhouse — at least for Me lifted a ban on Ritten-
a short while — may be able house fundraisers that had
to leverage his story into lu- been in place as part of a pol-
crative paid appearances and icy blocking fundraising for
even a book. the legal defense of someone
accused of a violent crime.
“I wouldn’t go near it on a There didn’t appear to be any
number of levels,” Ric Ba- new fundraising efforts for
chrach, CEO of branding Rittenhouse on the GoFund-
and marketing company Me website.
Celebrity Focus, said. “But
somebody out there is going But there are at least three ef-
to want to tell his story.” forts to raise money for Rit-
tenhouse or his family on Gi-
“He could easily secure a veSendGo, one of which has
seven-figure book contract,” raised more than $625,000 —