Republican Mayoral Candidate Refuses to Condemn “Literal Nazis”
A MAGA mayoral candidate for Franklin, Tennessee, seems to have opted for a dubious political alliance, affiliating with white supremacists and self-described Nazis.
Last week, alderman and mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson strolled up to Franklin’s candidates forum with the white nationalist organization “Tennessee Active Club” in tow. The hate group claimed it was there to “protect” Hanson with a show of force, according to News Channel 5 Nashville.
In a hearing on Tuesday, Hanson refused to denounce the group, which had harassed journalists and threatened a local resident’s life, alleging instead that its presence was to prevent disruptions by antifa.
“I don’t denounce any of my clients,” Hanson said. “I’m a realtor, I’m not going to denounce anybody their right to be whatever it is that they want to be, whether I agree with what they do in their personal life or not.”
But that reaction wasn’t what the group’s facilitator and self-avowed “actual literal Nazi” Brad Lewis was expecting. In a Sunday episode of the conservative streaming show Patriot Punkcast, Lewis expressed frustration that Hanson claimed she had nothing to do with their presence at the forum, adding that they were “security by request.”
“I facilitated all of this. She asked me, and I in turn asked the guys if they would be interested, and they of course accepted,” Lewis said, adding that Hanson “was aware” of the club’s involvement.
Opposite the controversial city leader, the city’s other aldermen used Tuesday’s hearing to lambaste Hanson.
“Is it your mission to divide our city? Because you are doing a bang-up job of it right now,” huffed Alderman Beverly Burger.
“It’s embarrassing to end up on HBO, to end up on MSNBC, and not for the good stuff,” said Alderman Brandy Blanton.
Last month, Hanson made headlines when it was revealed that she was stealing other people’s Instagram posts as campaign fodder, using their images of women of different ethnic and racial backgrounds to pretend they were her political supporters.
Hanson is running against another Republican, incumbent Mayor Ken Moore, in Franklin’s mayoral race. The city votes on October 24.
