Rep. Louie Gohmert And Texas GOP Chair To Speak At QAnon-Affiliated Conference
Topline
A sitting congressman and the chair of the Texas Republican Party are among those slated to speak at an event that incorporates some of the most public supporters of the QAnon theory.
A flag for the QAnon conspiracy theory is flown with other right-wing flags during a pro-Trump rally … [+]
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Key Facts
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) and Texas GOP Chair Allen West are both included on a list of speakers for the “For God & Country Patriot Roundup” conference, which is scheduled to take place on Memorial Day weekend at the Omni Hotel and Gilley’s Dallas, a venue center, in Dallas, Texas, Vice News reported.
The conference’s website bills the event as an “opportunity to hear from some of your favorite Patriots and Digital Soldiers in both keynote speeches and panel forums.”
The event features multiple QAnon enthusiasts—including Sidney Powell, who fought to overturn the results of the 2020 election in court, and former Trump National Security Advisor Mike Flynn—and is being organized by John Sabal, who goes by the name “QAnon John” on Gab.
The logo for the event includes the acronym “WWG1WGA,” which is short for the QAnon slogan, “Where we go one, we go all,” and the conference’s website includes other references to the conspiracy, such as allusions to the “great awakening,” another QAnon rallying cry.
Sabal, who runs the pro-Trump social media account “The Patriot Voice,” claimed on Instagram that the event is not a QAnon conference after a change.org petition was launched to cancel the conference.
“There is NO such thing as ‘QAnon’,” Sabal wrote, “ . . . so I’m confused as to how we are hosting a ‘QAnon Con’??”
The offices of Gohmert and West did not respond to Forbes’ request for comment Thursday.
Key Background
QAnon played a prominent organizing role in the Capitol riot on January 6, prompting social media platforms to crack down on the conspiracy theory. Twitter suspended thousands of QAnon-supporting accounts, including those belonging to Powell, Flynn and Sabal. QAnon supporters believed that former President Donald Trump was locked in a battle to bring down the “deep state” and expose a worldwide child-sex-trafficking ring. On January 20, after President Joe Biden was inaugurated and no ring was exposed or battle waged, many QAnon adherents gave up on the conspiracy theory. Others, since then, have tried to spin various parts of the conspiracy theory into new far-fetched narratives.
Tangent
The event includes other speakers such as George Papadopoulos, a former Trump advisor who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the Russia investigation.
Surprising Fact
Last year, Gohmert was one of 17 Republicans and one independent to vote against a House resolution condemning QAnon.
Crucial Quote
“Although this has been a time of uncertainty for many, it is also a time of excitement as we witness political history being made before our eyes,” the event website says. “What better time and place to get together to fellowship and celebrate with your Patriot family?!?”
What To Watch For
Whether the Omni Hotel or Gilley’s Dallas allows the event to proceed. The hotel has not responded to repeated requests for comments from Forbes, while Gilley’s Dallas has defended hosting the event. “As with all politically based events, we are simply the venue and have no political affiliation with any group or party,” Gilley’s general manager, Jay Powell, told the Dallas Morning News, which first reported on the event.
Further Reading
QAnon Is Hosting A Conference At The Omni Dallas Hotel Headlined By Michael Flynn And Sidney Powell (Forbes)
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