The controversial, Trump-backed Tennessee congressional candidate Morgan Ortagus is holding a fundraiser sponsored by several people who’ve publicly condemned and declared the former president “unfit” for office, The National Pulse can reveal.
Among the special guests featured at the upcoming Washington, D.C. fundraiser are establishment conservatives including Senator Lindsey Graham – who Trump recently blasted as “a RINO” – as well as Freedom Caucus-basher and Paul Ryan ally Dan Crenshaw.
The news will raise further questions as to the endorsement from Trump, whose base appears overwhelmingly in favor of another candidate, Robby Starbuck.
But even worse than Graham and Crenshaw are the co-sponsors of the event – including officials and commentators who have ruthlessly bashed Trump.
Former Massachusetts Republican lieutenant governor Kerry Healey, a co-sponsor of the fundraiser, publicly stated she wouldn’t vote for Trump in 2016. When asked if voting for a third-party candidate was a throw-away vote, Healey said, “It’s the only scenario that seems to offer an alternative to those of us who feel caught in the middle.”
“I believe my party’s nominee for president is mentally unfit to assume this heavy responsibility,” he wrote before adding: “Trump cannot be trusted with weapons that can kill millions. He cannot be handed the nuclear “football” – a briefcase containing the war plans and codes for our nuclear forces—and be made responsible for its contents.”
“These duties are simply too grave to entrust to a man who has exhibited sociopathic and chronically narcissistic behavior throughout his checkered career.”
Gabriel Noronha, a former Trump State Department official who was fired after going on a public Twitter tirade against his boss, is also sponsoring the March 2nd event.
“President Trump fomented an insurrectionist mob that attacked the Capitol today. He continues to take every opportunity to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power,” Noronha tweeted. “These actions threaten our democracy and our Republic. Trump is entirely unfit to remain in office, and needs to go.”
Co-sponsor Charlie Spies appears to have several tweets celebrating the inauguration of President Joe Biden. “Congratulations to President Biden and Vice President Harris. May G-d Bless you with wisdom and justice and continue to bless America. #InaugurationDay ,” he wrote on January 20th, 2021 in addition to expressing his cat’s excitement for the Biden takeover and praising Amanda Gorman’s poetry recitation as “great.”
Several “establishment” Republicans with ties to the Bush presidencies or Campaigns of John McCain and Mitt Romney are also sponsoring the event, including former Chairman of the Rubio for President campaign, Senior Advisor to Romney for President and Romney-Ryan, and National Finance Chairman for McCain for President Wayne Berman.
Co-sponsor Reginald Brown served as deputy general counsel to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Samantha Dravis worked as an attorney on Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign, and Alex Lawhon was a Regional Finance Director for McCain’s 2008 campaign.
Co-sponsor Samantha Menh, an alum of former Vice President Mike Pence’s office, shared a photo of herself with Romney and Paul Ryan, praising the latter as the person she “owe[s] everything to and friend.”
The Ortagus fundraiser is due to take place on March 2nd on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, with attendees stumping up at least $250 for a ticket.
