Fans of SeanPaul “Long Island Audit” Reyes received the startling news on Tuesday that he was shifting his focus from the YouTube platform to his new Patreon account following the demonetization of his main channel by YouTube on Monday.
Reyes was caught up in a mass demonetization campaign by the media giant which left most of the first amendment auditing category demonetized. With only Jose “Chille” DeCastro somehow escaping the wrath of YouTube, the category has largely been gutted with most creators vowing to go elsewhere following Monday’s actions.
The New York based influencer was quick to blame Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association president Lou Civello for the mass demonetization.
Now let’s get to the question everyone is asking. Why did this happen? Why would Google want to lose so much revenue demonetizing all of our channels?
I believe this was done in retaliation for my investigation into police unions, their influence over our politicians and their finances. Lou Civello, the president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association, has been publicly talking about First Amendment auditors lately. He has strongly advocated for legislation in New York that would restrict our ability to record law enforcement.
But more importantly, he has publicly discussed YouTube monetization and the financial side of First Amendment auditing. Instead of me telling you what he said, listen to him yourself.
Reyes would then interrupt his speech to play a recent media interview with Civello. He continued:
Now think about what you just heard. This is the president of a major police union publicly discussing First Amendment auditors, their YouTube channels, and the money supporting their work. That matters because he isn’t just criticizing the people recording police. He is talking about the financial infrastructure that allows this work to continue.
And that wasn’t the end of it. Sevilla also recently met with Attorney General Todd Blanch, the highest ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. I would love to know how is it exactly, that a lowly county police union president meets with the Attorney General of the United States of America.
They reportedly spoke at length about First Amendment auditors and how law enforcement should respond to them. A police union president publicly discusses auditors and monetization. He meets with the attorney general, where auditors are reportedly discussed.
Then multiple auditing channels are suddenly demonetized on the same exact day, at the same exact time. And for me personally, the timing gets even more extraordinary. Just last week, the Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who by the way, receives plenty of money from police unions, subpoenaed Google seeking subscriber and financial information connected to the Long Island Audit YouTube channel. Then, only days later, Google demonetizes my channel.
Does it warrant an investigation? Absolutely. Because journalists ask questions. Who made the decision to demonetize these channels? Why did it happen? At the same time, what specific conduct supposedly violated YouTube’s policy? Were complaints submitted against these channels? If so, by whom were police unions, law enforcement organizations, or government officials communicating with Google or YouTube about First Amendment auditors, where finances and monetization. Part of any strategy. I don’t know the answers yet, but I intend to find out everything I lawfully can. I am going to file public records requests. I’m going to seek communications subject to disclosure. I’m going to continue investigating. And if records exist, I want we the people, to see them.
Reyes would go on to plug his Patreon page, where he claimed that he would be focusing on for most of his future videos, which will be locked behind a membership paywall starting at $5.00 a month. Other plans range from $10.00 to $1,000.00 a month to access his programming.
The rotund social media influencer has 519 paid members to the service as of press time.
The mass demonetization on Monday did not see a major increase in donations on Tuesday as none of the auditing channels saw new donations with non-auditor Aidan “Turtleboy” Kearney winning the day with $10.00 in new donations.
Wednesday saw an uptick as both Reyes’s new GoFundMe and Zachary “Liberty Troll” Kuecker saw donations to their new post-demonetization campaigns.
Reyes took the day with $135.00 in total donations, divided between three campaigns. His Support The Fight Against Tyranny & Corruption campaign took in $100.00 in new donations, his Detained for MY Rights – Continuing the Fight for OUR Rights campaign took in $10.00 and his new YouTube Demonetized Long Island Audit, Help Us Keep Fighting fund took in $25.00.
Kueker placed second with a single $24.00 donation to his new Help Liberty Troll Through Income Loss campaign.
No other campaigns that we follow saw new donations for either day.
The massive demonetization on the YouTube platform came after a mild August for donations.
Christopher “Direct D” Ruff, whose channels were not caught up in the demonetization sweep, won the month with $3,980.00 in donations to his GiveSendGo campaign.
Lane Myers, whose channels have not been monetized, placed second with $2,736.00 in new donations.
Our own On-Going Expenses campaign placed third with $1,414.00 in new donations.
Reyes placed fourth with $701.00 in new donations spread over his Support The Fight Against Tyranny, Detained for MY Rights and We the People vs. Police Union Power campaigns.
Roy Trippoloni’s GoFundMe campaign for James “James Freeman” Springer rounded out our top five with $144.00 in new donations.
In related news, YouTuber Merb34st noted that he was also demonetized, despite his channel never being monetized in the first place, and has directed his fans to make donations to his g-string account.
This is a developing news story.
