Rejected: Donald Trump told not to come to Columbus GOP event
Updated 7/29/15
A number of the Republican presidential candidates for president are set to come to Columbus next month to speak at an event called the ‘Defending the American Dream Summit.’ Jeb Bush, Rick Perry, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Bobby Jindal will be among those addressing the event put on by billionaire GOP backers David and Charles Koch. The summit will be a two-day affair at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. From the summit’s website:
The 9th Annual Defending the American Dream Summit is headed to Columbus, Ohio on August 21 and 22! The event moves around the country each year and it’s a chance for thousands of defenders of freedom to come together to learn, be inspired, and celebrate our liberty. This year’s conference will be one of the most exciting, educational, motivational and inspiring events you have ever attended.
Not everyone will be at the event. You may have noticed that the latest entrant into the race, Ohio’s Governor John Kasich, will not be there. It’s not clear if he turned down an invitation to speak or if he didn’t receive one in the first place. It’s rumored that Kasich fell out of favor with the Kochs after losing his temper at an event sponsored by the brothers earlier this year in California.
Also missing from the list of speakers at the summit is the name of the current frontrunner for the nomination…Donald Trump. According to Politico, Trump and his hair made a specific request to be a part of the Columbus event, but they were rejected. Reports say that the Kochs have determined that, without question, the former Celebrity Apprentice host is the absolute wrong person to be the party’s 2016 presidential nominee. A spokesperson for a Latino voter outreach group backed by the Kochs says that they have not and will not invite the former Pizza Hut pitchman to any of their events due to his controversial comments about Mexican immigrants. Also, many wealthy donors connected to the Koch brothers were apparently offended by Trump’s recent statements about Senator John McCain’s status as a war hero. (jj)
For those looking for other options that weekend, the Ferret Buckeye Bash will be going on at the Northland Performing Arts Center. The event will benefit the cause of homeless ferrets in the state of Ohio. (jj)
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