'Absolutely disgusting!' Internet fumes as Biden's effigy beaten with baseball bat at Kansas GOP event

OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS: An event hosted by the Johnson County Republican Party near Kansas City has sparked controversy after attendees were seen assaulting an effigy of President Joe Biden.

A Grand Ol' Party fundraising event, which was held at the Overland Park Convention Center and promoted on the Johnson County GOP's Facebook page, featured a donation-based opportunity for attendees to hit a martial arts dummy donning a rubber Biden mask and a Let's Go Brandon t-shirt.

Former Kansas GOP official, Mike Kuckelman, has publicly denounced the event and called for the resignation of the party's leadership.

Mike Brown, who succeeded Kuckelman as the Kansas GOP Chair early last year, and Maria Holiday, the Chair of the Johnson County Republican Party, were both allegedly involved in the organization and promotion of the event. 

Reportedly, attendees paid $100 to $300 per ticket to hear country musician Ted Nugent deliver the keynote speech at the Road to Red event, in suburban Overland Park, near Kansas City.

Mike Kuckelman calls beating Joe Biden's effigy 'shameful'

The former state party chair wrote in a lengthy Facebook post, “This conduct is shameful, and it is WRONG. Brown and Holiday must resign. Republicans, especially elected Republicans, must demand the resignations of Brown and Holiday. Silence is complicity in this case.”

Kuckelman recounted a similar incident involving former President Donald Trump during his time in the Oval Office, stating, “Fellow Republicans, let’s not forget our outrage when Kathy Griffin engaged in similar shameful conduct against President Trump. We rightfully demanded she be canceled. Please, we must speak equally as loudly in our opposition now.”

“I don’t agree with President Biden’s policies, but he is a fellow human being. No one should condone or defend this horrific and shameful conduct,” he remarked. 

“Please join me in condemning last night’s baseball bat beating of the effigy of President Biden, and join me in calling for the resignations of Mike Brown and Maria Holiday,” he added in conclusion. “We are Republicans, and we are better than this.”

How did party officials respond to Mike Kuckelman’s claims?

In a statement to 27 News, Mike Brown denied any involvement with the Johnson County event. “The event Friday had nothing to do with KSGOP," claimed the official.

Maria Holiday, the Johnson County Republican Party chairwoman told the Kansas City Star via email that the effigy was part of a booth organized by a local martial arts school.

“This booth was hosted by a Karate school to promote their self defense class,” she explained.

Holiday later revealed to The Washington Post that the event was “tarnished by a brief incident where a mask depicting President Biden was added to an interactive self-defense display. The mask was regrettable and removed.”

No one collected money or donations for striking the "training device," she asserted.

The state GOP said in a statement on Monday that "it's unfortunate the events took place."

However, it attributed the incident to an independent exhibitor and a former state party member who "created a false narrative in order to spew rhetoric and capitalize on continued attempts to divide the party."

According to the statement, no state party representatives had attended the event. The incident, which was originally reported by the nonprofit nonpartisan news website Kansas Reflector, sparked significant condemnation and calls for those Republican lawmakers who were involved to step down immediately.

On Monday, Kuckelman said in an interview that “it’s very disappointing as a Republican to see such a vile and disgusting display of violence against a mannequin of President Biden. It’s just wrong, and there’s no explanation for that type of conduct.”

“The only people who are engaged in this type of conduct are extremists who should be called out and shamed,” he continued. Kuckelman expressed in his amazement that no GOP officials had come forward and officially apologized for the event.

“I think they’re standing firm that it was okay for them to do this, and it’s really disturbing,” he asserted.

Internet blasts the fundraiser for allowing attendees to hit dummy dressed like Joe Biden

People on Facebook criticized the state party officials for failing to address the fallout from last week's event effectively, allowing for the disgraceful incident to gain traction online and across mainstream media platforms over the weekend.

One Facebook user remarked, "Absolutely disgusting. Just as it was when Kathy Griffin did her 'comedy' with Trump’s severed heads, this is unacceptable and even worse since it’s at an actual Party event and not a hack comedian trying to get some attention. The GOP is enabling many of the culturally corrupt things they used to rail against in the past."

Another user asked, "I'm glad that so many Kansas GOP officials condemned this, but what kind of person thought this was a good idea??"

"The violence and cruelty of MAGA are not an aberration. It is the point. It has always been the point. When they show you who they are time and time again, believe them," another person said.

One person claimed, "The GOP encourages violence against all non-MAGA people. They are dangerous and must be defeated at the ballot box."

Another user remarked, "Sounds like the GOP is showing who they really are."

Finally, this user commented, "Oh, Kansas! How disappointing. But, not surprised at it all. This is the GOP now."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.