For Immediate Release
Contact: Eddie Kurtz
[email protected]
On August 25th, 2021, the Deschutes County Republican Party is scheduled to host a fundraiser featuring Raheem Kassam and Natalie Winters of The National Pulse, a right-wing website that promotes COVID and China-centric conspiracy theories and defends accused underage sex trafficker Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Kassam recently mocked Capitol Police Officers testifying regarding the January 6, 2021, insurrection. He also has a record of disparaging the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender people, and the Muslim community.
In the words of Australian Senator Kristina Keneally, Mr. Kassam “has an extensive history of vilifying people on the grounds of their race, religion, sexuality and gender.” In 2016, Kassam tweeted that the Scottish National party leader Nicola Sturgeon (who had recently suffered a miscarriage) should have her legs taped shut “so she can’t reproduce.”
“Raheem Kassam and Natalie Winters do not reflect the values of Deschutes County, and it’s embarrassing that local Republicans would promote their toxic beliefs,” said Deschutes County Democratic Party Chair Jason Burge. “Sadly, this is not the first time the Deschutes Republican Party has decided to promote the views of hateful extremists. I call on them to cancel this ill-advised fundraiser.”
“Whether it’s denigrating the heroic work of Capitol Police officers, or his attacks on women and the LGBTQ+ community, Mr. Kassam’s hateful views have no place in Oregon,” said Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Carla “KC” Hanson.
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