Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley to Join Michael Flynn in 'Fight Worth Fighting' Event
Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz are scheduled to appear at a conservative summit alongside former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, weeks after the latter appeared to urge a Myanmar-style coup to take place in the U.S.
Hawley, a Republican from Missouri who previously faced criticism for allegedly helping to incite the Capitol riot on January 6, is confirmed to appear alongside Flynn at the 28th Annual Phyllis Schlafly Collegians Summit on Tuesday, June 15.
Fellow GOP Senator Ted Cruz is also scheduled to appear at the event. The Texas senator was also criticized for allegedly contributing to incite violence that occurred during the Capitol attack after he spent weeks spreading misinformation about the 2020 election results.
Also appearing at the summit is Jack Posobiec, the far-right figurehead who helped spread the QAnon-linked "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory, and Seth Dillon, CEO of the satirical news website The Babylon Bee.
The summit is being put on by the Phyllis Schlafly's Eagles, a pro-Donald Trump group stemming from the Eagle Forum, which was founded in 1972 by the anti-feminist activist Phyllis Schlafly.
The event, held in Washington D.C., will be broadcast live on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Cruz said: "Newsweek is so eager for clickbait and tabloid headlines that they're willing to make a story out of the schedule for a conservative conference.
"The idea is simply to try and silence or attack anyone who disagrees with their narrative – Senator Cruz won't stand for either."
As noted by the Southern Poverty Law Center, previous speakers at summits hosted by the Phyllis Schlafly's Eagles include fellow far-right "Pizzagate" promoter Mike Cernovich; Jim Hoft, founder of the conspiracy theorist site The Gateway Pundit; and former Donald Trump adviser and alt-right figurehead Steve Bannon.
A video promoting the event entitled "The Fight Worth Fighting For" shows Hawley and Flynn among the speakers. The 91-second promo video was posted on Telegram by an account believed to belong to Flynn—the encrypted messaging service app does not verify profiles—which has more than 234,000 followers.
Flynn had said during a conference in May in Dallas, Texas, that a military-style intervention similar to what occurred in Myanmar, which has claimed the lives of several hundred people since February and saw a democratically elected government ousted and its head Aung San Suu Kyi detained, should occur in the U.S.
While taking questions from the audience at the "God & Country Patriot Roundup" on May 30, one man asked Flynn: "I want to know why what happened in Myanmar can't happen here?"
The question prompted cheers from the crowd.
"No reason. I mean, it should happen here," Flynn said in response.
In a post on Telegram, Flynn denied saying that he was urging a coup.
"Let me be VERY CLEAR—There is NO reason whatsoever for any coup in America, and I do not and have not at any time called for any action of that sort," the post said.
"Any reporting of any other belief by me is a boldface fabrication based on twisted reporting at a lively panel at a conference of Patriotic Americans who love this country, just as I do. I am no stranger to media manipulating my words and therefore let me repeat my response to a question asked at the conference: There is no reason it (a coup) should happen here (in America)."
Hawley has been contacted for comment.
Update 6/16/21, 3:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from Cruz's office.
