A few weeks ago, when social conservative college students in California attended a Zoom Q&A session with Former Director of National Security Richard Grenell hosted by the USC College Republicans, they found themselves not allowed to ask him tough questions about social conservatism and the proliferation of LGBT politics and policy in the Republican party. When some dared to ask these questions, they found themselves kicked from the zoom call.
In clips from a video recorded by an attendee who’s a member of the College Republicans, it appears questioners were silenced and removed from the Zoom call for asking questions on these issues. “It was so controlled it was a joke,” one attendee told National File. “They deleted questions we asked from being displayed and outright refused to even bring up anything other than softballs,” despite the fact that that the event was marketed as an open Q&A opportunity.
The attendee provided videos that appear to show their comments being removed in real time, only for them to eventually be removed from the call. After the attendee rejoined, those hosting the Zoom call refused to explain why he was removed.
https://twitter.com/NathanielRLindy/status/1387022767531384837
https://twitter.com/NathanielRLindy/status/1387023197665701890
Grenell, who is reported to be considering a run for California Governor, has a history of attacking social conservatives in his pwn party for their views. Several weeks ago, he attacked former US Senate Candidate Lauren Witzke for her open opposition to LGBT ideology permeating within the Republican Party. Additionally, many conservatives have accused Grenell of helping to cancel America First hip hop artist Bryson Gray for his commitment to social conservatism and family values.
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1366444982345879552
The USC College Republicans are part of the California Federation of College Republicans, an establishment GOP group that broke away from the more pro-Trump California College Republicans in 2019. Thus, having Rick Grenell speak at an event hosted by such a group as the USC CR’s is rather telling as to where his loyalties lie, as if his blacklisting of real social conservatives was not proof enough.
Some of the questions asked included the following:
“It has been widely agreed by political analysts, that the forces which carried Donald Trump to victory in the 2016 election were the incorporation of voters which felt previously alienated from electoral politics. These new voters were mostly working-class poor white men who are economically populist, hawkish on immigration, and socially conservative. Seeing as how your most recent thrust into political influence is a direct consequence of the Trump victory, isn’t your using of intelligence authority to promote homosexuality and transgenderism not completely contradictory to the views of the base that allowed you to have that job in the first place?”
“A fundamental position for conservatives is supporting traditional marriage and the nuclear family. Recognizing that Gay Marriage, transgenderism, and other LGBT policies degrade and are mutually exclusive to traditional values, how can you say that you are a Republican and a conservative?”
Grenell did not acknowledge either question. In fact, National File was told no actual audience questions were taken, according to publicly displayed ones documented by the attendees. The USC CR’s did not respond for comment.