“We Are The Storm!” proclaims the digital flyer for tomorrow’s noon rally at the Colorado Capitol to overturn the presidential election, invoking the QAnon conspiracist slogan.
The event, which baselessly alleges that the presidential election was fraudulent, is being promoted by the Republican parties of Jefferson and Douglas Counties.
Since Joe Biden’s victory over President Trump, the QAnon “Storm” conspiracy has expanded to encompass claims that Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems, the largest voting machine company in the nation, rigged the election against Trump.
State GOP chair Ken Buck and several Republican county clerks (though not the DougCo clerk) reject the conspiracy theory, but numerous Colorado Republicans publicly support it. They include the President’s lawyer Jenna Ellis, eight members of the state legislature, and Joe Oltmann, founder of conservative group FEC United. Oltmann’s group and its associated militia, the United American Defense Force, are also promoting the event.
A pair of relatively new pro-Trump groups, Colorado Election Integrity Project (CEIP) and MAGA Drag Colorado, are organizing the event.
CEIP says speakers at the four-hour event include GOP congressional candidate and conservative activist Casper Stockham, porn industry survivor and former madam Jessica Joy, and Minister Amy Everette of Colorado Prays. Additional pastors are also expected to speak.
Stockham confirmed he was speaking but said he didn’t know much about either the symbolism of “The Storm” or any call to action associate with the event.
CEIP previously organized a Dec. 12 statehouse rally, which was similarly rooted in election fraud conspiracies, such as the unsubstantiated claim that Dominion Voting Systems rigged the election for Joe Biden. The group claims it worked with state Rep. Kevin Van Winkle (R-Highlands Ranch) to initiate a controversial election fraud hearing of the legislative audit committee which was widely panned as a shameless political stunt.
MAGA Drag Colorado is a private Facebook group whose members include at least two prominent Republicans: former state Rep. Lori Saine (R-Firestone), who was just sworn in as a Weld County Commissioner, and University of Colorado Regent Chance Hill, also a Republican.
The protest is one of 50 similar state demonstrations timed to coincide with the main event taking place at the U.S. Capitol when Vice President Pence arrives Wednesday morning. The D.C. event will feature Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Joe Flynn, brother of Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn,” reports Politico.
The Colorado Facebook event quotes Flynn, who is easily the most prominent QAnon supporter linked to Trump as well as a convicted (and recently pardoned) felon. According to the flyer, Flynn asks, “On Jan. 6, patriots across our nation’s capital [sic] should respectfully and peacefully protest this fraudulent election at your state’s capitals [sic].”
Via Facebook messenger, Jefferson County Chair Denise Mund said she was unaware of the event’s QAnon connections.
“We were asked to promote a pro-Trump rally and that’s what we did,” wrote Mund.
Asked if she believes the election is fraudulent and Trump really won, Mund declined to respond.
The Douglas County GOP did not return a phone message requesting comment. This article will be updated with any response received.
