Multiple Arizona GOP groups deny involvement in an event featuring controversial right-wing speaker Nick Fuentes that purported to have their sponsorship.
The event, hosted by the Arizona chapter of College Republicans United (CRU), claimed support for the event from the Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC), the Maricopa County GOP, Yavapai County GOP, Pima County GOP, expelled State Rep. Liz Harris, State Rep. John Fillmore (R-LD16), Prescott chapter of the John Birch Society, and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
📢 Exciting News! We're thrilled to announce that Nick Fuentes will be joining us at the College Republicans United State/National Convention in Prescott Arizona July 30th! Reserve your tickets today.https://t.co/cxAT9kneDx
— 𝕮ollege 𝕽epublicans 𝖀nited (@National_RU) July 8, 2023
The MCRC stated that it had never authorized, sponsored, or promoted the event in question.
NEVER AUTHORIZED | NEVER SPONSORED | NEVER PROMOTED: The #MCRC never authorized, sponsored, or promoted the upcoming July 30 College Republicans United convention. Any placement of "MCRC" or "Maricopa GOP" etc on anything associated with the CRU event is unauthorized. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/16Ti5T0hmf
— Maricopa County Republican Committee | MCRC (@MaricopaGOP) July 10, 2023
The other featured guest speaker — the January 6 prisoner Jake Angeli-Chansley, more widely known as the American Shaman — also spoke out. Angeli-Chansley claimed that while he accepted the invitation to speak, he wasn’t made aware of Fuentes’ invitation.
“When I agreed to speak at the AZ College Republicans United event I was not aware that I’d be sharing the stage with someone who wants a 16 year old wife,” said Angeli-Chansley. “Should I back out? Or should I do the event & blow this schmuck out of the water & expose a false prophet?”
Ok, to start, WTF? When I agreed to speak at the AZ College Republicans United event I was not aware that I'd be sharing the stage with someone who wants a 16 year old wife. Should I back out? Or should I do the event & blow this schmuck out of the water & expose a false prophet? https://t.co/grYsJrvpKC
— Jake Angeli-Chansley (@AmericaShaman) July 10, 2023
State Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-LD03) debunked the several GOP groups’ endorsement of the event after speaking with the groups about their alleged support.
“The GOP Committees I have spoken to were surprised to hear about it!” wrote Kolodin. “Whoever is doing this should be treated as a saboteur!”
There is a flyer claiming that @ASU_CRU is hosting a joint event w/ noted POS Nick Fuentes and several county GOP Committees. The GOP Committees I have spoken to were surprised to hear it! Whoever is doing this should be treated as a saboteur! @AriBradshawAZ@AdamKwasman
— Rep. Alexander Kolodin (@realAlexKolodin) July 10, 2023
MCRC Chairman Craig Berland also disputed involvement of MCRC or the Maricopa County GOP in a press release.
Former State Rep. and Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) leader Adam Kwasman reported that the Pima County GOP denied involvement or support as well.
I just got off the phone with Dave Smith, Chair of the Pima County GOP. They knew nothing about the Fuentes event, and they will be issuing a statement shortly.
The GOP group issued their own statement later through Chairman Dave Smith.
“The Pima County Republican Party never authorized nor agreed to sponsor or promote, the Arizona College Republicans United event billed for July 30, 2023,” stated the Pima County GOP. “The Pima County Republican Party holds true to the values of the Republican Party, upholds the principles of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the laws of the state of Arizona and that of our country.”
The Pima County Republican Party never authorized support for or agreed to promote the Arizona College Republicans United event scheduled for July 30th, 2023. Any use of our name or logo was unauthorized. pic.twitter.com/BK8BMKMwv0
— Pima County Republican Party (@RealPimaGOP) July 10, 2023
In response to the backlash, CRU stated that they “love Messianic Jews and all ethnicities who accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.” As of press time, they haven’t followed up their original event announcement with clarification on their inclusion of the GOP groups that dispute their involvement in the event.
We love Messianic Jews and all ethnicities who accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
— 𝕮ollege 𝕽epublicans 𝖀nited (@National_RU) July 10, 2023
Fuentes has advocated for the expulsion of Jewish people from the U.S., and repeatedly pledged his love for Adolf Hitler.
The contested event is part of CRU’s second state and national convention taking place in Prescott.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
As the political impasse between Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs and the Republican-led Legislature remains at a historic divide, legislators continue to create new committees to tackle outstanding issues facing the state.
This week, the Arizona Legislature announced the formation of the Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee “to examine federal, state and local efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, any fallout from such measures, and to identify any possible legal remedies against individuals or entities where appropriate.”
According to the announcement, this committee will “gather information from experts and provide the public with a formal venue to share their stories, experiences, and grievances from the pandemic response by public health departments and healthcare systems.” The committee will also “evaluate protocols and overall public health guidance, funding incentives for health care facilities, injustices committed against families, businesses, workers and industries, potential preventative protections that may have been able to safeguard Arizona citizens against harms committed, and anything else deemed relevant to the pandemic.”
Arizona Senator Janae Shamp was tapped to serve as the committee’s chairman, and Senator T.J. Shope was selected as vice-chairman. Rounding out the committee’s membership will be U.S. Representatives Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Eli Crane, along with Arizona Representative Steve Montenegro.
Chairman Shamp released the following quote in conjunction with the news about this fledgling committee: “The pandemic was a heartbreaking period for so many people on so many different levels. I lost my job as a Perioperative Nurse because I refused to take the experimental vaccine that we now know has produced serious side effects in a number of otherwise healthy individuals. We’ve witnessed lives and livelihoods lost for no other reason than the mismanagement of COVID-19, and we are determined to hold those accountable for the injustices experienced.”
Vice-Chairman T.J. Shope told AZ Free News his “hope is that this committee will get to the bottom of when public officials knew that virus suppression measures being foisted on the public were actually unnecessary and how fast they responded to lift those measures.” He also praised Senator Shamp’s assembly of “an all-star team of medical experts,” and he expressed excitement for his expected participation.
The committee will meet on May 25 and 26 from 8:30am-4:30pm in the Arizona Senate building, and additional hearings will be scheduled in the future.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Despite the CDC adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of recommended vaccines for public school attendance, Arizona’s Republican lawmakers said that the state won’t be mandating it.
That’s because the state enacted several bills earlier this year precluding such mandates: HB2498, which prohibits any government entities in the state from mandating the COVID vaccine (exempting health care institutions), and HB2086, which further prohibits mandates for the COVID vaccine as well as the human papillomavirus in order to attend school.
The CDC announced last Thursday that it would add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of childhood and adult immunization schedules next year.
The State Senate Majority issued a statement on Monday asserting that HB2086 protected parental rights against an “out of touch” federal government and its agencies. Senate President Karen Fann (R-Prescott) said that Republican leadership enabled these protections, implying that a state legislature flip would result in a nanny state.
“Injecting something into our bodies is a very personal choice and is one that families should have complete control over,” said Fann. “Senate Republicans believe parents ultimately have the right to make medical decisions for their child, and we will not take away that freedom.”
ADHS and Democratic legislators opposed both bills. During committee discussion of HB2086, State Representative Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson) claimed that fears of COVID-19 vaccine injuries were political. Hernandez said that it would be right to reject a prohibition of a vaccine mandate.
Straight-up COVID misinformation getting thrown around in the House Health and Human Services Committee debating HB2086. Parents already have the ability to opt out of vaccinations for school attendance. COVID vaccines are safe and effective. #AZLeg
Parents have the ability to seek out medical, religious, and personal exemptions for mandatory vaccines. During committee discussion of HB2086, State Representative Beverly Pingerelli (R-Peoria) shared that constituents described the exemption process as “extremely difficult” and “time consuming.” Former ADHS director Will Humble rejected that characterization in response, but admitted that he made the exemption process more difficult than it had been in the past.
Unlike the state legislature’s slim majority, Arizona’s agencies appear to be falling in line with federal agencies. Carla Berg, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) deputy director, published a memo earlier this month encouraging parents to vaccinate children five and up.
ADHS often aligns itself with CDC and FDA messaging on public health issues. Earlier this summer, ADHS memos about monkeypox echoed similar, controversial memos issued by the federal government, such as a general avoidance on the specifics of the disease’s spread and its predominance among sexually active gay men.
If it’s been at least two months since your last shot, you can get the Omicron booster to help strengthen your protection against COVID-19.
