CPAC invites Tim Ballard to speak amid lawsuits, controversy

The Conservative Political Action Conference announced on social media that Tim Ballard will speak at its upcoming conference. The invitation to speak comes amid Ballard facing multiple lawsuits alleging that he sexually assaulted women.

Celeste Borys and Michael Borys, Jordana Bree Righter and five women identified by their initials filed suit against Ballard last year.

The lawsuit from the group of women alleged that “Defendant Ballard, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, committed battery and sexual assault of Plantiffs, as all sexual touching was done under the couples ruse in order to help save trafficked children and women.” The couples ruse is a term used to describe how women would pretend to be in a relationship with Ballard while on missions.

Ballard has denied these allegations.

CPAC did not immediately return a request for comment.

Historically, CPAC has gathered influential conservative activists and politicians to discuss the direction of the Republican Party. Confirmed speakers include Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, Ben Carson, Kari Lake, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama and Rick Santorum. The conference is expected to take place from Feb. 21 to 24 in Washington, D.C.

The conference bills itself as “the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world.”

Recently, attorneys representing Celeste Borys and Michael Borys filed additional court documents including a declaration from Celeste Borys. The declaration has additional exhibits attached onto it such as alleged communication between JJ and Ballard.

JJ is “a female operator at OUR (“JJ”) who had previously accompanied Ballard on these couples ruse ops.” Court documents stated she “had come forward to OUR management and reported that Ballard had used the couples ruse to deceive, groom, and manipulate her into participating in sexual acts with him.”

The latest filing from attorneys representing Ballard was a motion requesting a pretrial conference. The attorneys are requesting an early, limited deposition of Celeste Borys around alleged stolen documents and that the court order the return of the documents to Ballard. According to the filing, Ballard’s attorneys alleged that “Ms. Borys has stolen privileged, confidential, and private materials from Mr. Ballard and used them to demand money and to help others do the same.”

Celeste Borys’ declaration stated, “Many of the documents that Ballard complains about being made public came to my own email. I never stole anything from Ballard. anything that he has physically left with me has been returned to his attorneys.”

In a statement sent to the Deseret News, Whitney Z. Bernstein, an attorney for Ballard, said the complaint filed by the Boryses was “designed to damage Tim Ballard’s reputation, pressure him to pay money, and improperly influence potential jurors.” The statement also said Ballard’s team’s latest legal filing was an early step to “reclaim the reputation Tim Ballard earned as a leader in the fight to protect women and children.”