Golf
The Jan. 6 ‘Awards Gala’ at Trump’s golf course has been postponed indefinitely
A fundraising event for Jan. 6 defendants, which had been scheduled to take place this week at Donald Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, has been postponed indefinitely.
Dubbed the “J6 Awards Gala,” the event was initially scheduled for Thursday, but its website now lists the event as postponed and its location as “undetermined.”
The event had been touted as a celebration of Jan. 6 defendants and a fundraiser for their legal fees. Tickets ranged from $1,500 per person for general admission to $50,000 for a “platinum table” for 12 at the VIP reception. Trump was listed as an “invited speaker” but was not expected to attend.
The event’s featured guests had included some of the most notorious names in the MAGA world. Among them were former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has been indicted in Arizona and Georgia on charges of trying to help Trump steal the 2020 election (he has pleaded not guilty) and who is also dealing with the fallout from defaming two Georgia election workers; and Peter Navarro, who served a four-month sentence after being convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 House select committee.
The event website did not provide a reason for the postponement. Organizer L.J. Fino told Fox Business that it was because of “scheduling conflicts of invited guest speakers” and that they expect the event to take place after the November election. However, The New York Times reported Sunday that it had obtained text messages in which event planners cited “multiple issues outside of our control, the main one being safety concerns of attendees and staff.” (MSNBC has not verified the Times’ reporting.)
The decision to host an event at Trump’s golf club to honor and raise money for Jan. 6 defendants was audacious, but not entirely surprising. Trump himself is facing criminal charges over his role in the attacks (he has pleaded not guilty), and he has vowed to pardon Jan. 6 defendants if he returns to the White House, including those who assaulted police officers that day. This past Sunday, he told Fox News that he had “every right” to interfere in the 2020 election.