The Republican Party Of Texas' Neo-Nazi Problem

Texas Politics Under the Shadow of Extremism: The GOP's Alarming Ties

The last 24-hours in Texas politics have been completely off the rails. If you missed it, yesterday Robert Downen with the Texas Tribune broke a story, with photographic evidence, about how well-known white supremacist and self-proclaimed neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes was meeting with Republican operatives and activists at the Pale Horse Strategies office.

This is a huge deal and just one more kink in the chain of the Republican Party’s total embrace of Nazism and white supremacist culture. In attendance on Sunday were:

• Nick Fuentes

• Kyle Rittenhouse, murderer of civil rights activists

• Chris Russo of Texans for Strong Borders

• Matt Rinaldi, Chair of the Republican Party of Texas

• Jonathan Stickland, shill for Tim Dunn and Ferris Wilks

• Ella Maulding, Pale Horse Strategy employee and white replacement theory propaganda peddler

It was quite a cast of villains and evil-doers. This, mind you, happened over the weekend, while Israel and Palestine have broken out in war. Since the Texas Tribune broke this report, shit in the Republican Party has really hit the fan.

In the last few weeks, I’ve been contacted by more than five Republicans in Texas who have shared their frustrations with me.

It’s not strange for a Republican within the Texas Republican Party ranks to contact me or share information with me, but it is strange that so many have reached out in such a short time. They’ve all expressed frustration with me about how within the party ranks, they are fighting against Nazism and white supremacy. They’ve all told me that they are Conservatives because they believe in freedom and limited government, but they feel like the crazies have taken over their party.

I think some of them miss the days when the left and right could banter with one another over policy and are now spending more time arguing within their own party about cultural issues.

The healthy democratic system was asserted to be one in which the two national parties were cohesive, disciplined, programmatic, and responsible. But we’ve strayed so far from that because the Republican Party is none of those things. I wish it was like the old days, when we could politely discuss policy difference, but too often Republicans start a conversation by calling you a “groomer” or a “baby killer.” I think the only way out of this for the GOP is allow the death of the party and for the reasonable Conservatives to eventually form and build up a new party. Until then, we should expect for the GOP to continue being in complete chaos.

The Neo-Nazi problem within the Republican Party of Texas (RPT), started well before this weekend.

Back in August, RPT Chairman Matt Rinaldi backed a candidate from Virginia over Hayden Padgett, the former Texas Young Republican Federation Chairman. The RPT and the Texas Young Republican Federation had long standing ties and when Rinaldi was caught texting delegates smack-talk about Padgett, the Texas Young Republican Federation decided to completely sever ties with the RPT.

After that, Rinaldi thrust Texas State Republican Executive Committee auxiliary recognition process a totally new group, “Young Republicans of Texas.” The group, which was formed less than a month before gaining official recognition from the party, represents an obvious attempt to confuse voters and to misrepresent itself as the established Texas Young Republican Federation.

This caused a lot of drama. Case in point:

Multiple RPT members and activists have accused the new “Young Republicans of Texas” of being racist and anti-Semitic.

That was in August and just this weekend, Rinaldi was spotted at the Pale Horse Strategies office at the same time as Nick Fuentes.

Rinaldi has since denied knowing that Fuentes was there and was only present to use a conference room. According to the Texas Tribune, Rinaldi was asked if he would condemn Stickland or Pale Horse for hosting Fuentes, Rinaldi responded that he will “disavow Nick Fuentes but I’m not going to make assumptions” based solely on the Tribune’s reporting.

Pale Horse Strategies is ran by Jonathan Stickland, who also runs the Defend Texas Liberty PAC, which is all funded my Tim Dunn and Ferris Wilks.

It should also be noted that Nick Fuentes’ meeting at the Pale Horse Strategies office lasted for SEVEN hours.

Here are some of the current elected officials who are funded by the Defend Texas Liberty PAC/Dunn/Wilks money:

• Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

• Attorney General Ken Paxton

• Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham

• Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller

• Railroad Commissioner Christy Craddock

• Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian

• Senator Kevin Sparks

• Senator Phil King

• Senator Brandon Creighton

• Senator Paul Bettencourt

• Senator Bob Hall

• Senator Lois Kolkhorst

• Senator Kelly Hancock

• Senator Angela Paxton

• Representative Tony Tinderholt

• Representative Nate Schatzline

• Representative Brian Harrison

• Representative Mark Dorazio

• Representative Carrie Isaac

• Representative Matt Schaefer

• Representative Terri Leo-Wilson

• Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare

Here are some of the current candidates for office who are funded by the Defend Texas Liberty PAC/Dunn/Wilks money:

• Adam Hinojosa for the Texas Senate

• Matt Krause for Tarrant County Commissioner

• David Lowe for the Texas House

• Andy Hopper for the Texas House

Here are some of the current activist groups who are funded by the Defend Texas Liberty PAC/Dunn/Wilks money:

• Republican Party of Texas

• Texans for Strong Borders

• True Project Texas

• Grayson County Conservatives

• Parker County Conservatives

• Young Americans for Liberty

• Bexar County Republican Party

• Wise County Conservatives

If some days it feels like neo-Nazis have taken over the Republican Pay of Texas, this list shows that they have.

While almost everyone on this list has spoken out in support of Israel over the weekend, almost no one on this list has disavowed their donor’s ties with white supremacist Nick Fuentes.

But in terms of the GOP Civil War, several members of the not-neo-Nazis side have spoken up. Representative Jared Patterson calls for officials to donate funds from Defend Texas Liberty - the leader of which we just reported met with white supremacist Nick Fuentes - to pro-Israel charities.

While it may be tempting to applaud Patterson for his strong stance against white supremacy, you can’t forget how he helped pass the anti-CRT and anti-DEI laws. Whether he admits it or not, he also participated in the GOP’s white supremacy. Just because now he’s saying it’s gone too far, that doesn’t remove his culpability.

Oh, but it gets better. Just hours before the special session was due to gavel in, we get this from Speaker Dade Phelan:

Phelan called on every recipient of money from the Defend Texas Liberty Pac to return the money, including Dan Patrick and his $3 million bribe he took to acquit Ken Paxton. Phelan even offered to loan Rinaldi the money he got from the Defend Texas Liberty PAC until he made it up in other donations.

In a scathing conclusion, Phelan said, “There is no excuse to keep tainted funds from an organization that provides a platform for hatemongers, sexual predators, racists, and Nazi sympathizers.”

Well, Dan Patrick took that as well as you might imagine and demanded Dade Phelan’s immediate resignation.

Tony Tinderholt, soon agreed and put out his own statement. This is important, and I’ll tell you why.

The Texas House is gaveling in right now, as I’m finishing this up (1:00 pm). I already have my screen-record going. Today it’s expected that either Tony Tinderholt or Brian Harrison will try and oust Dade Phelan as Speaker. I will have the clips when it happens and I’ll keep y’all updated.

What does all of this mean for the special session?

Expect lots of drama and Republicans accomplishing very little. I expect it to be a complete disaster. Stay tuned.