Outrage Erupts Over Kansas GOP Fundraiser Where Attendees Physically Assaulted An Effigy Of Joe Biden

Officials from the Kansas Republican Party have faced widespread criticism and calls for resignations after a fundraising event titled “Grand Ol’ Party,” took place in Overland Park, Kansas, and featured an effigy of President Joe Biden that attendees were encouraged to physically assault.

Video footage from the event shows individuals punch, kick and swing a bat at a Biden mannequin dressed in a “Let’s Go Brandon” shirt. The incident sparked a significant response on social media and ignited a broader conversation about the boundaries of political discourse and the importance of respectful engagement, regardless of ideological differences.

Although the video, originally uploaded to the video platform Rumble, was later deleted, Democratic commentator and attorney Kaivan Shroff uploaded a video of the event to X. Kansas GOP officials swiftly condemned the attacks on the effigy.

In response to the backlash, Maria Holiday, chair of the Johnson County Republican Party, jumped to explain that the booth responsible for the effigy was hosted by a local karate school that aimed to promote their self-defense classes.

Holiday admitted that the event was tarnished by the inclusion of a mask that depicted Biden in an outside exhibitor’s interactive self-defense display. She expressed regret for the incident and stated that the mask was promptly removed. Holiday clarified that no funds or donations were collected in exchange for the assault of the training device.

Former Kansas GOP Chairman Mike Kuckelman took to Facebook to express his dismay and described the conduct as “shameful” and “wrong.” He called for the resignations of Holiday, Kansas Republican Party Chairman Mike Brown and Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden. Kuckelman reminded fellow Republicans of their outrage when Kathy Griffin attacked an effigy of Trump in 2017 when she showed a photo that featured a fake bloody head of Trump. Kuckelman emphasized the need for party members to speak out against such behavior now.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins (R) did not comment on the specifics of the event but expressed concern about the consequences that would potentially result from the normalization of such behavior. He warned that what may seem like a joke to some could have tragic implications.

Republican congressional candidate Dr. Prasanth Reddy, a research oncologist in Johnson County, also condemned the effigy attacks. In a statement on X, he criticized the thoughtless actions and noted that they distract from efforts to deliver meaningful solutions.