The Radical Right’s Weekend in Vegas
The Patriot Voice and Western Conservative Action Network conferences in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City include an assortment of fringe right-wing figures and Republican state lawmakers.
The Western Conservative Action Network conference, also known as the WeCANact Liberty Conference, will begin on Friday at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Patriot Voice conference, For God & Country Patriot Double Down, will also begin on Friday at the Ahern Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The featured speakers at both conference include right-wing Republican lawmakers and candidates, as well as fringe figures from the Radical Right.
Republican Lawmakers
Arizona State Senators Wendy Rogers (R-6) and Sonny Borrelli (R-5) will be featured speakers at both conferences, Utah State Representatives Phil Lyman (R-73) and Steve Christiansen (R-47) will be speaking at WeCANact, and Arizona State Representatives Mark Finchem (R-11) and Leo Biasiucci (R-5) will be speaking at the Patriot Double Down.
Republican Candidates
Bishop Leon Benjamin, a Republican candidate for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, will be speaking at WeCANact. Benjamin, a pastor New Life Harvest Church in Richmond, claims to have been a “spiritual adviser” for the former President.
Joey Gilbert, a Republican candidate for governor of Nevada, will be speaking at WeCANact. Gilbert, a supporter of the former President, stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during the January 6th Insurrection.
Rachel Hamm, a Republican candidate for Arizona Secretary of State, will be speaking at the Patriot Double Down. Hamm is interesting.
Kristina Karamo, a Republican candidate for Michigan Secretary of State, will be speaking at the Patriot Double Down. Karamo, who has been endorsed by the former President, has made baseless claims of fraud during the 2020 election.
Jim Marchant, a Republican candidate for Nevada Secretary of State, will be speaking at the Patriot Double Down. Marchant, former member of the Nevada Assembly, has described himself as a “huge supporter of President Trump” and has called for aggressive restrictions on voting rights.
Bobby Piton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, will be speaking at WeCANact. Piton has been a vocal advocate of the baseless claims of widespread fraud during the 2020 election, and made posts on social media supporting the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Darlene Swaffar, a Republican candidate for Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, will be speaking at the Patriot Double Down. Swaffar, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2020, has posted a video of herself taking an oath to QAnon and has cited the conspiracy theory as her inspiration to run for Congress.
Right-Wing Militia Movement
1st Amendment Praetorian, a right-wing militia and self-styled private intelligence firm that offers protection for “Americans being attacked for expressing their political beliefs,” will be providing security for the Patriot Double Down.
Tim Foley, the founder of the paramilitary militia group Arizona Border Recon (AZBR), will be speaking at WeCANact about the “crisis at our border.” Foley has been involved in the militia movement for more than a decade, and in recent years has become prominent figure in the conservative movement.
Mike Miller will be speaking at WeCANact about Warriors for Ranchers, an organization that claims to “provide crisis relief to farmers and ranchers in Texas related to the border crisis.” The organization was incorporated in Texas in May 2021, however, the IRS nonprofit database does not list a nonprofit organization with the EIN number listed on the group’s website, and there are no listing of the group in other nonprofit databases. To date, the organization has raised more than $45,000 in donations, and has not disclosed any expenditures.
Casey Robertson, the founder of United Citizens' Alarm (formerly the Utah Citizens' Alarm), will be speaking at WeCANact about the “birth and purpose of UCA.” Robertson, who formed the armed right-wing militia in response to the Black Lives Matter protests, claims to have close relationships with multiple law enforcement agencies, and members of the group are reportedly affiliated with the right-wing extremists gang the Proud Boys.