Maga Republicans mocked for playing Jan 6 themed pinball at CPAC
‘These folks have destroyed the conservative movement’ wrote one X user
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Your support makes all the difference.Maga Republicans have been blasted for their nonchalance at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), after a January 6-themed pinball machine was set up at the venue.
GOP members were accused of “destroying the conservative movement” with the stunt and making light of the riots on Capitol Hill, in Washington DC in 2021.
Pictures of the brightly coloured game – which bore the title Jan 6: Insurrection, and featured a picture of former president Donald Trump – were circulated online.
Phrases on the machine to help players hit high scores included “stop the steal”, “fake news” and “political prisoners”. When certain scores are hit, clips from the insurrection are played as well as audio clips from Mr Trump.
The Capitol building was stormed by hundreds of protesters after Mr Trump had made a speech telling them to march on the building while his defeat in the 2020 election was being officially recorded, urging them to “fight like hell or you won’t have a country”. More than 140 police officers were injured and five people – including a police officer – lost their lives. Mr Trump now faces a series of criminal charges over the riot.
Since the riot, more than 600 of those involved – many of them apparently taken in by Mr Trump’s so-called “big lie” that he had been cheated out of victory – have been convicted of criminal offences.
One of the event’s most infamous protesters, the so-called QAnon shaman, is also pictured on the pinball machine.
The pictures were criticised online, with one user commenting: “MAGA Republicans think Jan 6 is a joke and a GAME.”
Another wrote: “Looks like they didn’t include the gallows erected on the Capitol lawn meant for many-time CPAC Speaker & rock-ribbed conservative Mike Pence.
“These folks have destroyed the conservative movement.”
According to the FBI, in the 37 months since the historic event more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach. This includes more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, which is a felony.
CPAC – a four-day GOP jamboree of grandstanding speeches, culture war grievances, and Maga electioneering – began on Wednesday.
The event will once more be headlined by Donald Trump, who will make its keynote address on Saturday before heading off to South Carolina for the state primary.
His only remaining significant rival, Nikki Haley, will not be there but did deliver a defiant message to Republicans this week as she pledged to fight on in the battle for the GOP presidential nomination.
The conference has so far seen poor turnout, with reports of half-empty theatres for speakers including VP hopeful Ben Carson and former UK prime minister Liz Truss.
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