IDAHO FALLS — Kyle Rittenhouse will be one of two keynote speakers at the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee’s Lincoln Day Gala in April.
The former Illinois man who now lives in Florida and was acquitted of homicide, attempted homicide and reckless endangering charges in 2021 for killing Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and wounding a third person with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle in the summer of 2020 during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, “will come to tell his story firsthand and set the record straight about his self-defense case,” according to a news release from Bonneville County GOP.
“Rittenhouse has been the target of relentless negative media and legal campaigns against him, and he has started the Media Accountability Project to hold the media accountable and take them to court for the lies they perpetuate against Americans,” the news release said.
The shootings involving Rittenhouse occurred in the summer of 2020 during a tumultuous night of protests over the shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by a white Kenosha police officer.
He was acquitted of all charges in November 2021 after testifying he acted in self-defense. Rittenhouse’s actions became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S.
Rittenhouse went to Kenosha from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, after businesses were ransacked and burned in the nights that followed Blake’s shooting. He joined other armed civilians on the streets, carrying a weapon authorities said was illegally purchased for him because he was underage.
Rittenhouse first killed Rosenbaum, 36, in the parking lot of an auto dealership and as Rittenhouse ran from the scene he stumbled and fell. Anthony Huber, 26, struck Rittenhouse with his skateboard and tried to disarm him. Rittenhouse fell to the ground and shot Anthony Huber to death and wounded demonstrator Gaige Grosskreutz, 27.
A federal judge in Wisconsin earlier this month ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Huber’s father can proceed against Rittenhouse, police officers and others.
The suit claims officers allowed for a dangerous situation to occur that violated his son’s constitutional rights and resulted in his death. Anthony Huber’s father, John Huber, also alleged that Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, conspired with law enforcement to cause harm to protestors. John Huber is seeking unspecified damages from city officials, officers and Rittenhouse.
This case is one of several ongoing civil lawsuits filed in the wake of the shootings. Grosskreutz last year filed a similar lawsuit against Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse has maintained a high public profile, particularly on social media, where he is an outspoken advocate for gun rights. He has nearly 1 million followers on Twitter and has spoken at conservative gatherings similar to the upcoming Bonneville County Lincoln; Day Gala set for April 15 at the Melaleuca Event Center in Idaho Falls.
Rittenhouse will be joined by James Lindsay, a mathematician, political commentator and author of dix books, according to the Bonneville County GOP news release.
“He is the founder of New Discourses, an organization dedicated to shining the light of objective truth in subjective darkness,” the news release states. “Lindsay has been a featured guest on Fox News, Glenn Beck, Joe|Rogan and NPR.”
The Bonneville County Republican Party is offering sponsorship opportunities for this event, including meet-and-greet opportunities. Those interested in sponsoring should contact the Bonneville County Republican Party by email at bonnevillegop.info@gmail.com or by phone at 208-497-1211.
More details about the 2023 Bonneville County Lincoln Day Gala can be found on the Bonneville County Republican Party’s website at bonnevillegop.com/lincolnday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(14) comments
This is a press release from Bonneville County GQP. It was not written by Shelbie Harris because nowhere does it contain the words "began to unfold."
Sponsorships are still available!!! Hurry while they last. HAHAHA I wonder how much these two mutants are charging for their presence ?
It's nice to see the baby faced murderer finally found a venue for his wildly un-successful "I got away with murder {and so can you!)" tour. Now all of you video game playing wanna-be nazi street soldiers can (for a price) breathe the same air as this sad little punk. Be sure to bring cash, those autographs ain't cheap.
How come you democrats haven't built any statues to honor the two convicted pedophiles that Kyle shot? It's about your speed. I've seen every video of every angle, and that was as clear cut self defense as you can get. But as long as the criminal is on your side.....they have your support.
Pedophiles? Roy Moore, Matt Gaetz, Dennis Hastert, and the Miss Teen USA dressing room pervo, Donald Jenius Trump all come to mind. Are you going to the big Lincoln Day shindig, Eugene? Need gas money?
JFK, Teddy, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Tom Hanks....
Pretty much all of Hollywood.
Only about 15 years and Rittenhouse will be old to run for President........ha ha.......can't wait.
He will be running all right. Justice can be slow, but it happens.
I applaud the Bonneville republicans willingness to hire a murderer. What's next, a parole for Derek Chauvin so he can make a personal appearance in Idaho Falls?
Ha ha.......the lefties are gonna sh-it.
You wish! We cannot help the fact that you reflect the party of surely low intelligence and exaggerated sense of entitlement.
Just who is the party of Ted Kennedy? It's pretty entitled to kill a woman and then be elected senator for 40 years.
Yeah.... thats what drives idaho republicans..... the idea that they can make a few thousand idahoans mad. Go ahead.... cuff your dummy over it. Unless you can't find it anymore.
Well it tickles the he-ll out of me whenever you liberals are bleeding out of your man-ginas. I really don't care how other Republicans feel.
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