Condemnation erupts after Biden effigy clothed with 'Let's Go Brandon' T-shirt gets kicked, swatted at Republican fundraiser

Condemnation is raining down after attendees at a Kansas Republican fundraiser were caught on video last week kicking and swatting an effigy of President Joe Biden, the Associated Press reported.

Their target was a mannequin adorned with a Biden mask as well as a "Let's Go Brandon" T-shirt, the outlet said.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Those crazy kids at the Johnson County Republican Party fundraiser in Overland Park weren't gentle with the Biden effigy, either:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"I think it plays into this idea that this goes beyond just a policy debate, and I think that can be combined with some of [the] language we see used and the demonization on the other side," Matt Harris, a political science professor at Park University, told KMBC-TV. "I think that kind of rhetoric combined with this kind of symbolic behavior can be dangerous."

Mike Kuckelman, former chair of the Kansas Republican Party, is calling for the resignations of both the state and county party chairs, the station said.

"As a lifelong Republican, I was appalled, I was sickened, I was disgusted with it that it could happen," Kuckelman told KMBC. "We can disagree with one another on policy, but we're all fellow human beings, we never resort to violence in our country because we disagree with one another."

The Kansas Republican Party issued the following statement Monday, the station said:

The Johnson County Republican Party hosted a fundraiser on Friday, March 8th. After the event took place, it was brought to the attention of the KSGOP that an outside exhibitor in the karate/self-defense space rented a booth at the event. A disgruntled former member of the state party, who did not attend the event, saw an opportunity to capitalize on the poor judgement of the outside exhibitor. No one from KSGOP leadership or staff attended the event or had input on exhibitors.

It’s unfortunate the events took place, and even more so the former state party member created a false narrative in order to spew rhetoric and capitalize on continued attempts to divide the party.

The Johnson County Republican Party issued the following statement, according to KMBC:

The Johnson County Republican Party’s successful series of events last weekend was tarnished by a brief incident where a mask depicting President Biden was added to an outside exhibitor interactive self-defense display. The mask was regrettable and removed. No one collected or solicited any funds or donations in exchange for hitting the training device.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said, “What may seem like a joke for many will be seen by some as an expansion of acceptable behavior with potentially tragic consequences,” according to the AP.

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, also a Republican from the Wichita area, said that “tasteless displays of violence” don't attract voters, the outlet added.

The AP also reported that Mike Brown, chair of the Kansas GOP, and Maria Holiday, leader of the Johnson County GOP, "distanced themselves" from the incident. The outlet added that Johnson Country has "become bluer since [Donald] Trump's election as president in 2016. It was key to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's victories in 2018 and 2022 and became an area where it was increasingly difficult for GOP statewide candidates to win."

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