Idaho Republican storms off after reporter asks why she spoke at event hosted by white nationalist

‘I don’t – I don’t know who he is. I don’t – I’ve never met him,’ the lieutenant governor says

Idaho’s lieutenant governor, Janice McGeachin, abruptly ended an interview after she was asked why she spoke at a conference hosted by a white nationalist (KTVB)

An interview with Idaho’s lieutenant governor went off the rails after a reporter asked her why she spoke at an event hosted by a well-known white supremacist.

Last month, Lt Governor Janice McGeachin spoke at the America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC) in Orlando, Florida. The event was organised by Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist who was involved in both the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia and the “Stop the Steal” rally that led to the 2021 Capitol riot.

KTVB reporter Brian Holmes asked Ms McGeachin, a Republican, why she spoke at Mr Fuentes’ event.

“Are you familiar with who puts this event on?” Mr Holmes asked. “Like, Nick Fuentes?”

Ms McGeachin appeared to be caught off guard.

“I don’t – I don’t know who he is,” she stammered. “I don’t – I’ve never met him. I don’t know who he is.”

Mr Fuentes not only organised the America First conference, but was the event’s headliner. Mr Holmes asked if the lieutenant governor looked into him before she agreed to speak.

“I mean, his name is on it,” the journalist pointed out.

“Well,” Ms McGeachin replied, “you know what? Nick Fuentes, I don’t – as I said, I don’t know him. I – he’s never – I’ve never met him.”

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which studies hate groups in the United States, Mr Fuentes is a white nationalist livestreamer who believes America’s “white demographic core” should rule the country.

“America, for what it’s worth, was founded by white Christians,” Mr Fuentes has said. “It was not founded by Jewish people. It was not founded by Judeo-Christians. It was founded by white Christians … And if we want to restore America, we’ve got to make America a Christian nation again.”

On Saturday, as the controversy grew, Ms McGeachin put out a statement explaining why she took part in Mr Fuentes’ conference.

“I was invited to submit a video to AFPAC, and I took the opportunity to share my views about these vital America First policies,” the lieutenant governor said. “I do not and have never supported identity politics or other discriminatory views that only seek to divide us and not unite us. Anyone who actually listens to what I say or who pays attention to what I’ve done in my many years of service knows this is true.”

During her interview with KTVB, however, she was less articulate.

“It’s not fair, I mean, the mainstream media – you do this to conservatives all the time, but you don’t do it to yourself,” Ms McGeachin protested, saying she should not be considered “guilty by association.”

Growing increasingly frustrated, the lieutenant governor finally pulled her mic off her lapel and handed it to Mr Holmes.

“Here you go,” she said. “Interview’s over.”

Ms McGeachin is currently running for governor of Idaho. Former president Donald Trump has endorsed her. The Independent has reached out to her campaign for comment.