Coinciding with the protests in Raleigh, my #GOP opponent has started tagging his posts with #ReopenNC on Facebook. A WHOIS search shows that web site is registered to a FL man who created it to sell T-shirts. Nice job researching that one, Senator. #ncga #notreal @ColMorrisDavis

For 20 years, I worked as a systems administrator and digital project manager. I got curious about who was running these ‘REOPEN’ sites, including ReOpen NC, and so the first thing I did was run a WHOIS search on the domain names.

WHOIS was only partially successful. The registrars have gone to great lengths to make sure their identities stay secret.

But, there is always another way. Everyone who sets up a website wants wants to be able to monitor web traffic, which leads us to Google Analytics.

For the Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin sites, the same Google Analytics tracker appears in the home page source code: UA-60996284.

That code traces specifically back to the #DorrBrothers, who run a well-financed, radical pro-gun agenda.

The Dorr organization has a reputation for identifying opportunities to stir up trouble, then trying to make as much money as possible from the ensuing chaos. The Dorr brothers are so extreme in their stance they make the #NRA look like a liberal group by comparison.

Many of the other ‘ReOpen’ sites trace back to gun rights groups or conservative Republican groups ( #reopensc traces back to the Horry County Republican Party). Other groups can be linked back to PACs that were set up by Charles #Koch.

As for ReOpen NC? It seems to exist merely to sell t-shirts, decals and yard signs with such slogans as “Know Your Rights,” and “Live Free or Die.” WHOIS records show the same FL resident who registered this NC site also registered one for NY a few minutes later.

So, congratulations, Senator Edwards. You’re pushing for reopening the NC economy ASAP, you’re tagging ‘REOPEN NC’ in your social media posts, and you haven’t even done enough homework to know that what you’re actually doing is helping some #jerk in Florida sell T-shirts.