Pour one out for the annual nutfest known as CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Conference). It seems to have fallen on hard times:
As the once-storied Conservative Political Action Conference kicks off the 50th anniversary of its inaugural national gathering, the organization is finding itself increasingly anchored to the sexual assault allegations leveled a year ago against its longtime leader, conservative activist Matt Schlapp.
On Wednesday, the opening day for CPAC 2024, the Alexandria City Courthouse posted a batch of eye-popping new filings in the sexual battery and defamation lawsuit against Schlapp—including a subpoena to a CPAC official alleged to have overseen document destruction days after the accusations were first publicly reported. Schlapp was on notice at the time about potential legal action.
The court records show subpoenas to other key witnesses, as well, including CPAC officials and other alleged victims. Two young men who previously reported unwanted physical advances from Schlapp have been deposed, including in connection with an alleged incident where the conservative icon, drunk and stripped to his underwear, rubbed his crotch on a young man at a fundraising event months before the alleged assault at the center of the lawsuit.
There's much more detail at the link about the sordid allegations against the sordid Schlapp and the myriad legal actions underway ensnaring not only Schlapp and top officials in CPAC, but others like Fox "News'" host Sean Hannity (that defamation- averse propaganda outlet has blacklisted Schlapp and his bullshit activist wife/ beard Mercedes from appearing on the network). Of course, Schlapp, like other hypocrites, crooks, and faux moralists that overpopulate the right (Falwell Jr., every prosperity gospel charlatan, NRA's LaPierre, countless Republican officeholders past and present, etc.) are perfect representatives of the rotted- out MAGA Republican cult / party and their cult leader, the worst president but best criminal ever to hold office.
But back to the dud conference and more proof that ETTD ("everything Trump touches dies"):
... Schlapp and the CPAC team have busied themselves with organizing this year’s annual conference, which opened on Wednesday at the Gaylord Hotel in Maryland’s National Harbor. The centerpiece of the conference this year will once again be a keynote from Trump, who chalked last year’s lackluster lineup up to fears of rebuke from his die-hard following.
The event has in years past been a magnet for conservative stalwarts and rising stars alike, a staple for Beltway Republicans looking to make inroads with the party’s most well-wired players. However, with the arrival of Trump and the MAGA movement, CPAC’s star began to dim. Recent years have seen notable shifts in attendance, as CPAC scrapped its mainstream conservative bona fides and instead embraced fringe and frivolous figures on the far right—celebrating the likes of Jan. 6 insurrectionists and anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists, while platforming authoritarian leaders across the globe.
It’s unclear how much of that branding pivot was pre-planned and how much was simply an inability to forestall Trump, leading Schlapp and his crew to adopt a “sour grapes” attitude that recast MAGA critics within the GOP as scurrilous political enemies. Regardless, the shifts have led to declines in attendance, revenue, and influence, a trend the Schlapp allegations exacerbated last year.
This year, the cost of general admission dropped by $200, with full weekend passes priced at just $95. And the list of 23 conference sponsors features no less than five entities that are actually just CPAC itself—including the Center for Fundamental Rights, the organization’s arm in Hungary. (our emphasis)
It seems CPAC has turned into the bargain bin of political conferences. Perhaps they can get some of those $400 Trump suckerwear shoes to sell for revenue.
Their lame list of lame sponsors include most of the fringe "don't think" tanks, conspiratorial societies, and fascist fronts you can think of (John Birch Society, Moms for Libertines Liberty, etc.). We're going to call it: CPAC is circling the drain. May it take as much of the MAGAt world with it as possible.
UPDATE: We did Nazi see that coming (yes we did).
(Photo: can you hear the echo with all those empty seats? / Andrew Feinberg, The Independent)
