In even more ridiculous Trump news, an awards gala to benefit the Jan. 6 rioters will be held at his golf club in New Jersey. It is scheduled to happen on September 5 and is being advertised as a fundraiser, according to event sponsor Stand in the Gap.
Dubbed the “J6 Awards Gala,” the nonprofit organization stated on its website that it will honor “all J6 defendants who have shown incredible courage and sacrifice.”
In addition, the site also stated that “the funds raised will provide much-needed assistance to the January 6th defendants who continue to face significant challenges.”
Donald Trump’s campaign shared that the former president will not be attending after he was named as an invited speaker to the Bedminster club, per USA Today. Other invited speakers include Trump allies Rudy Giuliani and Anthony Raimondi.
Stand in the Gap was started as a response to the 2021 riots, where Trump supporters seized the U.S. Capitol to reinforce his false claims of election fraud following his loss to President Joe Biden.
Since the violent insurrection occurred, seven people have died in connection to it and more than 700 people have been arrested. Trump has claimed that the rioters have been unfairly persecuted, and vowed to pardon them if he gets reelected as president. Last year, Trump himself was also indicted on four criminal counts by a federal grand jury investigating the Capitol riot, along with other attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
On the same day as the gala, a hearing is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., to evaluate if prosecutors can proceed with the case after Trump was given partial immunity by the Supreme Court, per The New York Times.
In a statement, Harris-Walz spokesperson Sarafina Chitika condemned the gala and what it represents.
“Most Americans believe the January 6 rioters who violently attacked police officers and tried to overthrow an election belong in jail,” she said.
Chitika also called the event “a slap in the face to every police officer who defended our Capitol in its darkest hour and every American who believes in the rule of law.”