Here's how Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA has sent Trump-Vance off the rails: analysis
The conservative group Turning Point USA has a knack for producing some of the most damaging moments in a politician's career, an MSNBC columnist argued this week -- and he said it could come back to bite former President Donald Trump.
Ja'han Jones, who has written extensively about the group's embrace of some of the most extremist activists on the fringe right, singles out the group's leader Charlie Kirk, whom he writes has managed to maintain his "conservative clout" despite the group "repeatedly backing failed candidates."
"The past week has underscored TPUSA’s power over Republicans as well as the organization’s inseparable bond with Trump and his inner circle, as two controversies surrounding Trump’s campaign had connections to TPUSA," notes Jones.
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As an example of how appearing at TPUSA events can backfire, he notes Trump told a TPUSA-organized event over the weekend, "And again, Christians, get out and vote! Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians. ... In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote."
Those comments came just a few days after it was revealed Trump's running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), wrote a "glowing review" for Turning Point contributor Jack Posobiec, who wrote a book in which he calls liberals "inhuman," Jones quoted.
Posobiec is also one of the fringe activists who pushed the "Pizzagate" conspiracy, which alleges a Washington, D.C. pizza parlor has a child trafficking ring in the basement run by Hillary Clinton. It resulted in a gunman coming to the establishment and terrorizing the guests and neighborhood.
Jones pointed to all of these links to Kirk's group as a connection to the extremist wing of the GOP that has been taking over the party.