Former Trump Campaign Staffers Helped Organize the Rally That Led to the Deadly Capitol Riot, Records Show, Despite the Campaign's Repeated Claims It Wasn't Involved

https://portside.org/2021-02-11/former-trump-campaign-staffers-helped-organize-rally-led-deadly-capitol-riot-records
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Author: Ashley Collman
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Business Insider

President Donald Trump's reelection campaign has repeatedly said it wasn't involved in organizing the January 6 rally that led to the deadly storming of the Capitol. 

But a review of the official paperwork by the Associated PressThe Washington Post, and ABC News, shows that former Trump campaign staffers helped secure the permit for the "Save America" rally and were listed as official event organizers.

At this event Trump had addressed his supporters, telling them to "fight like hell."

The "Women for Trump" group, which is not officially connected to the campaign, technically hosted the event.

But paperwork reviewed by the AP shows that several former Trump campaign staffers helped the group get the permit to hold the rally at the Ellipse, a park near the White House. 

Several of these former campaign and White House staffers were also listed on this paperwork as being on-site staff during the event, including: 

None of the above responded to the AP's request for comment, and many blocked an AP reporter who reached out to them on Twitter. Insider contacted the listed former Trump associates for comment on Monday morning, but did not immediately receive a response.

 

The Japan Times

In a statement to the AP and ABC News, the Trump campaign said it "did not organize, operate or finance the event" and that no campaign staff members were involved in the organization or operation of the rally.

It said that if any former employees or independent contractors helped organize the event," they did not do so at the direction of the Trump campaign."

The Washington Post also reported that several established Republican groups were involved in the rallies that led to the riot, and have since tried to distance themselves from the violence. The groups include the Republican Attorneys General Association, and the activist groups Turning Point Action and Tea Party Patriots. 

Trump was impeached for a historic second time last week for his role in inciting the rally to march to the Capitol, where the pro-Trump supporters turned violent, stormed the building, and sent lawmakers rushing to safety. A total of five people died as a result of the riot.

[Ashley Collman is a senior news reporter at Business Insider. Before joining BI, she worked as a general assignment reporter at DailyMail.com, where she focused on breaking news across the US. Ashley is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, where she earned a degree in magazine journalism. She can be contacted at acollman@businessinsider.com.]


Source URL: https://portside.org/2021-02-11/former-trump-campaign-staffers-helped-organize-rally-led-deadly-capitol-riot-records