Sources told the newspaper that Julie Jenkins Fancelli, whose father founded Publix, contacted Jones and offered to help bankroll a pro-Trump event in D.C. on January 6. According to the Journal, Fancelli contributed about $300,000 of the total $500,000 cost of the rally on the Ellipse in President's Park behind the White House.
The Ellipse rally served as the basis for the House's second impeachment of Trump, who stands accused of inciting the violence at the Capitol, where five people died as a result of the day's riots.
New Times has previously written about how Fancelli and her relatives have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump. All told, Fancelli herself donated more than $980,000 to the Republican Party and Trump for his 2020 re-election bid, according to campaign-finance records.
A Publix spokeswoman previously told New Times that the Fancelli family is not directly involved in day-to-day operations at the grocery chain.
Publix did not immediately respond to a request from New Times for comment on the Journal's story. But Politico reporter Marc Caputo posted a statement from Publix in which the company distanced itself from Fancelli.
"Mrs. Fancelli is not an employee of Publix Super Markets, and is neither involved in our business operations, nor does she represent the company in any way. We cannot comment on Mrs. Fancelli’s actions," Publix said.
Publix in damage control: "Mrs. Fancelli is not an employee of Publix Super Markets, and is neither involved in our business operations, nor does she represent the company in any way. We cannot comment on Mrs. Fancelli’s actions." https://t.co/eyzH7Gu7R4
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) January 30, 2021
