Arizona Republicans to host white nationalist antisemite Nick Fuentes at conference

Three Arizona county Republican parties — Maricopa, Pima and Yavapai — are among the sponsors of an event later this month called “Arizona College Republicans United” that features as its star attraction the white nationalist antisemite Nick Fuentes.

Yes, really.

At least that’s what organizers claimed.

On Tuesday Maricopa County Republican Committee issued a statement saying it “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.”

Pima County Republicans issued a similar statement.

All of which leaves us with more questions than answers.

Harris, QAnon Shaman also at event

The event as promoted didn’t only feature Fuentes.

Republicans are emptying out the entire clown car for the “second annual state and national convention” of the group.

Among the invited cranks and crackpots is the fur hat and horns wearing QAnon Shaman, Jake Chansley, who did jail time for his participation in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as former Republican state legislator Liz Harris, who was expelled from the state House of Representatives by fellow Republicans after she invited a witness to a hearing who spewed all manner false charges about lawmakers and other state officials.

But Fuentes gets top billing.

He first drew some national attention as one of the tiki torch carrying neo-Nazis parading around in khaki pants in Charlottesville in 2017, when the marchers chanted, “Jews will not replace us.”

Fuentes became a far right-wing influencer, particularly with gullible young men, by way of social media and the grifting that comes with it. Misogyny, race bating and conspiracy theories also play heavily into his ghoulish schtick.

Gosar, Rogers have defended Fuentes

Fuentes created the America First Political Action Conference, which has drawn a number of Republican politicians, including Arizona U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar and state Sen. Wendy Rogers.

Rogers attended an America First event in which she gave a speech calling for hanging political enemies.

Gosar also has attended an America First event. Not long ago it was reported that the “digital director” on Gosar’s staff is a follower of Fuentes.

Gosar has defended Fuentes on the right-wing social networking site Gab, saying, “The phony January 6th Committee’s partisan witch-hunt continues as they have now set their sights on young conservative Christians like Nick Fuentes. This is pure political persecution and it has to stop. @realnickjfuentes.”

Another view: Shouldn't more leaders denounce Fuentes?

How any American could defend Fuentes is a tragedy.

How three Arizona county Republican parties would make him the star of an event is an abomination.

How could anyone give Fuentes top billing?

This is a guy you can watch discussing the Holocaust in a grotesque, joking manner by metaphorically comparing it to baking cookies in an oven.

This is a guy who said, “Enough with the Jim Crow stuff. Who cares? ‘Oh, I had to drink out of a different water fountain.’ Big f---ing deal … oh no, they had to go to a different school … And even if it was bad, who cares? … it was better for them, it’s better for us.”

I guess that’s the Republican platform in Arizona these days.

What once was the party of Barry Goldwater and John McCain is now the party of ... “Jim Crow stuff. Who cares?” and comparing the Holocaust to baking cookies.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Republican event features white nationalist Nick Fuentes