Right-wing militia pulls out of event with New Mexico Republicans, citing 'blatantly racist' remarks from some speakers
The New Mexico Civil Guard announced on Sunday that it is pulling out of an August 22 rally that features a number of local Republicans.
The news comes after Business Insider reported on the existence of the rally, which was to pay "special tribute" to the group, whose leaders include a neo-Confederate and a member of the Proud Boys, a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group.
In a post on Facebook, the New Mexico Civil Guard said that state Republicans had shown the group "an overwhelming amount of very appreciated support."
But the paramilitary group claimed it could not attend the rally because "key speakers have publicly made some remarks that came across as blatantly racist."
The rally is set to feature Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin, who has argued that Black athletes protesting racism in the US should "go back to Africa."
A right-wing militia is pulling out of a rally featuring elected Republicans days after Business Insider reported that one of its leaders is a member of a hate group who has denied the Holocaust.
The New Mexico Civil Guard, in a Facebook post on Sunday, said it had "made the decision not to attend the event" — where organizers planned to pay "special tribute" to the paramilitary group — for a number of reasons, among them: that the militia, while led by avowed supporters of President Donald Trump, is ostensibly nonpartisan.
"[T]he Republican side of the ticket in New Mexico has shown an overwhelming amount of very appreciated support," the militia said, "but we are not a Republican or Democratic organization." The "main reason" it will not be attending, however, is because "it has been brought to our attention that key speakers have publicly made some remarks that came across as blatantly racist."
Last week, Business Insider reported that the militia itself was founded by a man with a swastika tattoo who has served as the "commander" of a neo-Confederate organization; another leader is a member of the Proud Boys, designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, who has made comments denying the Nazi extermination of 6 million Jews.
The paramilitary organization is currently facing a lawsuit from the Bernalillo County District Attorney, Raúl Torrez, who alleges that is an illicit, far-right vigilante group.
On Facebook, the New Mexico Civil Guard said it is avowedly anti-hate, asserting that it "in no way condones or participates in racism, and by us being at this event we feel that is what we would be doing."
The New Mexico Civil Guard declined to comment further.
In an email to Business Insider, New Mexico Republican Pat Woods described the August 22 event, promoted by the Republican Party of Curry County, as a "GOP grand opening event." A flyer for the rally says it intends to honor law enforcement and the militia, listing the vice-chair of the state Republican Party, Rick Lopez, as a featured speaker.
Another special guest: Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin, an elected county commissioner who recently said Black athletes protesting racism should "go back to Africa."
The Republican Party of New Mexico has refused to say whether or not its vice-chair will be speaking at the event. In a statement, Anissa Tinnin, executive director for the Republican Party of New Mexico, instead lambasted critics of the rally, which she described as a "grassroots" event. "[W]e will not waste our energy assaulting New Mexicans' free speech," Tinnin said, contrasting the rally with "lawless Antifa protesters looting and shooting."
Tinnin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the party agrees with the militia's statement that participating in the rally would be to condone racism.
However, three New Mexico Republicans who were listed as speakers at the August 22 rally have told Business Insider they are not planning to participate, with Stefani Lord, a candidate for the state legislature, citing the changing "tone and tenor" of the event.
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