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Joe Kent, the twice failed Congressional candidate now being considered for Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is another dangerous pick by Team Trump. On the international stage, Kent had close political ties to Tulsi Gabbard. In 2022, Gabbard endorsed his first congressional campaign and appeared in an ad for Kent. In 2024, Kent highlighted Gabbard as the embodiment of the rejection of the establishment. He has been a staunch defender of her nomination to lead ODNI. He claimed Gabbard was “right to question our involvement in Syria, defended her meeting with Bashar al-Assad, and her skepticism of the war in Ukraine. Kent has also proven to be a dangerous megaphone for Russian propaganda. He dismissed the seriousness of the war in Ukraine as a “distraction and scam” by politicians in DC. He claimed Russia would inevitably win the war and refused to say Putin’s invasion was unprovoked. He agreed when Rep. Madison Cawthorn called Ukrainian President Zelensky a “thug.” He opposed sending U.S. aid to Ukraine and allowing Ukraine to join NATO. Kent echoed Russian Propaganda when he suggested that the CIA and Ukraine could be responsible for a terrorist attack in Moscow that killed 143 People. He suggested that Ukraine, the CIA or MI6 could have paid Islamic Militants, who claimed responsibility, for the attack in Moscow. A Huffington Post investigation also found many instances between 2023 and 2024 where Kent’s social media posts echoed posts from Ukraine Watch, a Telegram channel touted by Russian Officials as a reliable source about the war in Ukraine. Kent has been vocal in his criticisms of the intelligence community and has called to “bring the national security state to heel.” He claimed multiple times that senior military and intelligence leaders showed contempt and hostility toward President Trump, even once accusing them of “general treachery.” Kent called to “completely dismantle” the FBI and repeatedly called to defund it. He also called to replace the FBI with constitutional sheriffs, which the Southern Poverty Law Center said found their roots in larger antigovernment and county supremacy movements. In the domestic arena, where white nationalist violence poses a serious threat to America, Joe Kent had deep ties to white nationalists, Nazi sympathizers, and far-right extremist groups. While giving an interview to the American Populist Union, a Gen-Z white nationalist group, Kent said “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with there being a white people special interest group.” Kent defended neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes in a tweet then later tried to distance himself from Fuentes. Kent also granted an impromptu interview to Nazi sympathizer Greyson Arnold and posed for photos with him. Kent’s campaign later insisted that he had “no idea” who Arnold was. Kent paid $11,375 to a campaign consultant who law enforcement identified as a Proud Boy. Kent’s “close political ally” Joey Gibson founded a Christian nationalist group that coordinated demonstrations with the Proud Boys. Kent spoke at a rally hosted by the Washington State Three Percenters. He also accepted an endorsement from Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers who was a member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group. If there was a conspiracy theory about the 2020 election and January 6th, Joe Kent spread it. He said he was “pretty confident” that the 2020 election was “rigged or stolen.” He complained that people who questioned the results were labeled “insurrectionists, fringy people, white supremacists and a host of other derogatory terms.” He spread a conspiracy theory that January 6th was a government-planned intelligence operation. He called January 6th rioters who were charged with crimes “political prisoners” and spoke at a rally in their defense. He attended an election denial conference in Vancouver, WA and appeared on Mike Lindell’s TV program. He accepted donations from convicted insurrectionists. He even cast doubt over the integrity of his own 2022 race, claiming election officials could be up to “some sleight of hand” behind the scenes because they were taking a while to count ballots. |
¶ Kent Had Close Political Ties To Tulsi Gabbard
¶ 2025: Kent defended Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence
January 2025: Kent Defended Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination To ODNI, Claimed She Had An Active Top Secret Security Clearance And Turned Her Paperwork In, And The Only Threat She Posed Was To The “Failed Status Quo.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter where he was responding to a statement from VoteVets opposing Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to ODNI, "This is absurd, @TulsiGabbard has an active top secret security clearance & has her paperwork turned in. She's a threat to the failed status quo so she's being slow rolled. General Eaton should be ashamed of his statement. Tulsi fought for our nation in combat, as an enlisted soldier in Iraq & as commander as a part of a Special Operations Task Force in Africa & served on the foreign affairs & armed services committees in congress. She's more than qualified to lead our nation's intelligence community." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 1/8/25]
Kent Was “Honored” To Sign A Letter In Support Of Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination To ODNI. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter account, "I’m honored to sign this letter supporting @TulsiGabbard for Director on National Intelligence. Tulsi has proven her commitment to our nation on the battlefield and is more than qualified to lead our intelligence community." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 12/9/24]
Kent Claimed Tulsi Gabbard “Consistently Stood Up To The Lies Of The [Intelligence Community]” Which Made Her The “Perfect Person To Restore The [Intelligence Community’s] Credibility.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "Intel officers like Spanberger destroyed the credibility of the IC by spewing partisan lies like this, Russiagate, Hunter’s laptop & countless other lies. Tulsi has consistently stood up to the lies of the IC, that makes her the perfect person to restore the IC’s credibility." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 11/14/24]
¶ Kent Defended Tulsi Gabbard’s Views On The U.S. Involvement In The Wars In Syria And Ukraine
Kent Claimed Tulsi Gabbard Was “Right To Question Our Involvement In Syria.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter account, "Turns out the ‘non profit director’ Politico quoted in their hit piece against @TulsiGabbard was a lobbyist for installing Al-Qaeda onto power in Syria. Tulsi was right to question our involvement in Syria, another reason she’s the right choice for DNI." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 1/10/25]
Kent Defended Tulsi Gabbard For Meeting With Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad In 2017 And Said “Talking To Our Enemies Is Actually Smart, But Timing [And] Context Matters.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter account, "Worth noting that when Pelosi met w/ Assad in 2007 Assad was actively supporting the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq to kill American troops. When Tulsi met w/ Assad in 2017 he was at war w/ISIS too. Talking to our enemies is actually smart, but timing & context matter." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 12/9/24]
Kent Attacked National Security Leaders To Expressed Opposition To Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination To ODNI And Defended Gabbard For Being Skeptical Of U.S. Involvement In The Wars In Syria And Ukraine. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "This letter from ‘National security leaders’ is nothing more than a petty character assassination against @TulsiGabbard b/c she is a threat against the failed national security status quo. They attack Tulsi for being skeptical of our wars in Syria & Ukraine, take a look at our involvement in both those nations & you’ll see Tulsi was way ahead of the tried lies from ‘national security leaders.’ The American ppl agree because they just elected a fellow skeptic of the failed national security establishment, Trump, in a landslide. Instead of debating Tulsi’s views they belittle her over 20 years of service & multiple combat deployments by saying she lacks management & intel experience, another ridiculous claim that falls apart upon any reasonable examination. Tulsi is more than qualified & capable, the failed experts know it & are rolling out all the same old pathetic tricks to hold on to power." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 12/5/24]
¶ august 2024: kent praise tulsi gabbard for being the EMBODIMENT of the rejection of the establishment
August 2024: Kent Touted Tulsi Gabbard For Standing Up To The “War Machine” And Claimed She Along With RFK, Jr., JD Vance And Trump Embodied A Rejection Of The Establishment. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "Tulsi is a leader. For her entire career she’s stood up to the war machine while continuing to put herself in harm’s way as a soldier. Tulsi, Trump, JD & RFK embody the rejection of the establishment. A new party is emerging, united in our love for our nation, join us!" [Twitter, Joe Kent, 8/26/24]
¶ 2022: Tulsi Gabbard endorsed and campaigned for kent
10/12/22: Tulsi Gabbard Endorsed Kent And Called Him A “Friend” And A Fighter. According to the Hill, "Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday endorsed Trump-backed Republican candidate Joe Kent in the competitive race for a southwestern Washington House seat. Gabbard, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2020, announced on Tuesday that she was leaving the Democratic Party and has since put her support behind several candidates aligned with former President Trump, including Kent. ‘My friend Joe Kent is a fighter,’ Gabbard said in a new ad for Kent. ‘He’s dedicated his life to ensuring the safety, security and freedom of the American people and our country. With your vote, Joe’s going to go to Washington and work tirelessly to secure the border and bring you and your loved ones peace of mind.’" [The Hill, 10/12/22; Twitter, Joe Kent, 10/12/22] (video)
HEADLINE: "After Leaving Democratic Party, Tulsi Gabbard Campaigns With ‘Fellow Veteran’ Joe Kent In Bucoda" [Chronicle, 10/24/22]
October 2022: Tulsi Gabbard Campaigned For Kent And Touted Him As A “Courageous Voice.” According to the Chronicle, "Former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard made a stop in Bucoda Sunday afternoon to campaign alongside Joe Kent, the Republican candidate facing Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in the race to represent Washington’s 3rd congressional district. Gabbard, who recently left the Democratic Party and became an independent, served in Congress representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021 and was a candidate for president in 2020. Like Kent, she served in the military, completing service through the Hawaii Army National Guard. She deployed to Iraq with a field medical unit from 2004 to 2005 and was stationed in Kuwait from 2008 to 2009. ‘The reason I am here and not back home in Hawaii is because our very freedom and our very future is at stake in this election,’ Gabbard told the crowd in Bucoda. ‘And I do not use those words lightly.’ After recognizing Kent as a ‘fellow veteran,’ she said the Biden administration and Democrats are undermining ‘God-given rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution,’ saying they are working with large technology companies and social media to do so. Gabbard claimed the Department of Education, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Department of Homeland Security had been ‘weaponized and politicized’ against opponents. ‘I am confident that Joe Kent is going to go to Washington and will continue to be the courageous voice he has already been for so long,’ Gabbard said." [Chronicle, 10/24/22]
HEADLINE: "‘We Need Leaders’: Tulsi Gabbard Backs Joe Kent In Washington 3rd District Race" [KOIN 6, 10/24/22]
¶ Kent Praised Tulsi Gabbard For Leaving The Democratic Party
Kent On Tulsi Gabbard: “She Recently Did Something Very, Very Brave And Moved Away From Her Party To Stand Shoulder-To-Shoulder With All Of Us. At The End Of The Day, None Of This Is About Political Party. This Is About Us As Americans Taking Our Country Back.” According to the Chronicle, "In introducing Gabbard, Kent thanked the crowd for supporting him and helping him defeat incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican who voted to impeach Donald Trump following the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. ‘Tulsi has been speaking truth to power now for well over a decade now,’ Kent said. ‘She recently did something very, very brave and moved away from her party to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all of us. At the end of the day, none of this is about political party. This is about us as Americans taking our country back.’" [Chronicle, 10/24/22]
¶ Kent Is A Dangerous Megaphone For Russian Propaganda
¶ kent dismissed the seriousness of the war in ukraine as a “distraction and scam” and said russia would INEVITABLY win
Kent Claimed Putin Would Inevitably Take Over Ukraine And “That’s Out Of Our Hands.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Gettr, "Putin will take Ukraine just like the Taliban returned to Afghanistan, history & geography win. That’s out of our hands. Our choice is how much we bleed in places that don’t matter to our security. The CCP & Oligarchs are the assault on all that is sacred & what we must fight." [Gettr, Joe Kent, 2/21/22]
Kent Called Ukraine A “D.C. Distraction And Scam.” According to the Columbian, "In the last week of January, Kent told The Chronicle NATO was ‘made for the Cold War and the Cold War is over.’ Days before, he spoke in front of the Lewis County Republican Women and downplayed the severity of the situation between Ukraine and Russia. In early February, Kent took to Twitter, saying: ‘Ukraine is a D.C. distraction and scam.’" [Columbian, 2/25/22]
- Kent: “Ukraine Is A DC Distraction & Scam, The Alliance Being Forged Between China & Russia Is The Major Threat Biden’s Weakness Forced But Is Incapable Of Addressing." According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter account, "Ukraine is a DC distraction & scam, the alliance being forged between China & Russia is the major threat Biden’s weakness forced but is incapable of addressing." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 2/5/22]
Kent Refused To Say Putin’s Invasion Of Ukraine Was Unprovoked And Claimed Putin Had “Legitimate Concerns About Russia.” According to the Columbian, "Based on this poll, Republican 3rd Congressional District candidate Joe Kent aligns with only a small percentage of his party in his stance on the invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with The Chronicle Wednesday, Kent would not say Putin’s military action in Ukraine was unprovoked. He instead said: ‘I condemn his military aggression,’ but that Putin ‘had legitimate concerns about Russia.’ ‘We, the west at large, pushed (Russia) into this situation of encroachment. Because we continued to say ‘NATO membership, maybe the EU will come in there,’ he added. ‘You’ve got Russia, you’ve got Europe, and in the middle is Ukraine. They will be a buffer state. If one side pushes too hard on it, it’s going to create a reaction on the other side.’" [Columbian, 3/14/22]
Kent Downplayed The Risk That Russia Posed To The Rest Of Europe. According to the Longview Daily News, "Kent said there needs to be negotiated peace talks with Ukraine and Russia. He downplayed the military risk Russia poses to the rest of Europe, pointing to the multiple struggles the Russian military has faced in Ukraine during the current war." [Longview Daily News, 6/3/24]
¶ Kent Called Putin A “Reasonable Thug” And Agreed That Ukrainian President Zelensky Was A “Thug”
Kent Referred To Putin As A “Reasonable Thug.” According to the Columbian, "On Wednesday, Kent repeated that he thinks these terms are reasonable and said rather than sanctions or military action, the U.S. should be taking steps toward ‘aggressive diplomacy.’ ‘Again, geostrategic reality. It just it is what it is, and we need adults in the room right now to make these hard decisions and to do the hard things and to go meet with thugs like Putin — KGB thugs — and figure out what's best for our country, what's best for the American people,’ Kent said. After calling him both terms, when challenged on whether Putin was ‘reasonable’ or a ‘thug,’ Kent said: ‘He’s a reasonable thug. The world is full of reasonable thugs.’" [Columbian, 3/14/22]
Kent Called Ukrainian President Zelensky A “Thug” And Claimed He Used “Nazi Battalions To Crush His Enemies.” According to the Columbian, "After calling him both terms, when challenged on whether Putin was ‘reasonable’ or a ‘thug,’ Kent said: ‘He’s a reasonable thug. The world is full of reasonable thugs.’ Apparently, he thinks Zelensky is one of them, too. Though he did not use the qualifier of ‘reasonable’ when describing the Ukrainian president. Kent again represented a controversial opinion and misaligned with the majority of his party when he took to Twitter on Saturday to say that Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-North Carolina, ‘nailed it’ when he called Zelensky a ‘thug.’ ‘Zelenskyy was installed via a US backed color revaluation, his goal is to move his county west so he virtue signals in woke ideology while using nazi battalions to crush his enemies,’ Kent wrote on social media. ‘He was also smart enough to cut our elite in on the graft.’" [Columbian, 3/14/22]
¶ kent echoed russian propaganda that alleged ukraine, the CIA and MI6 were secretly behind a terrorist attack in moscow
HEADLINE: "House GOP Candidate Suggests Cia, Ukraine May Be To Blame For Moscow Terrorist Attack" [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
Kent Echoed Russian Propaganda When He Suggested That The CIA And Ukraine Could Be Responsible For A Terrorist Attack In Moscow That Killed 143 People. According to Huffington Post, "A Republican candidate for Congress in Washington state has suggested the CIA and Ukraine may be responsible for a terrorist attack last week that killed 143 people in Moscow, echoing a theory pushed, without evidence, by Kremlin propagandists. Joe Kent, a conservative firebrand in a likely rematch with first-term Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, whom he narrowly lost to in 2022, made the comments in a Tuesday appearance on ‘Real America’ on the right-wing One America News Network." [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
- A Russian TV Host Claimed Ukraine Was A Proxy Force For U.S. And British Military And Intelligence Services And Suggested They Were Behind The Terrorist Attack. According to Huffington Post, "Sergey Karnaukhov, a Russian TV host, said, ‘Ukraine is a proxy force of American and British military and intelligence services. Does anyone have any doubt as to who did this?’ Compliant Russian TV hosts and talk shows have long been seen as one way Putin shapes the public discourse in Russia." [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
Kent Suggested That Ukraine, The CIA Or MI6 Could Have Paid Islamic Militants, Who Claimed Responsibility, For The Attack In Moscow. According to Huffington Post, "Kent, a retired Special Operations veteran and former foreign policy adviser in the Donald Trump administration, suggested the attack, which Islamic militants claimed responsibility for, could in fact have been orchestrated by Western interests and added that it was unlikely the truth would ever be known. He said Islamic militants had grievances with Russia that would lead them to attack, but he also said it was plausible the attack was a Western plot. ‘If the Ukrainians were using CIA or [British intelligence agency] MI6 money, which they have a lot of access to, and they were tasked with conducting sabotage behind Russian lines, I mean, this is too easy. You can get access to these jihadis because they’re looking to work for the highest bidder, so it does kind of make sense,’ Kent said." [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
- ISIS Claimed Responsibility For A Terrorist Attack On A Concert Hall In Moscow. According to Huffington Post, "A branch of ISIS, an Islamic militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack at a Moscow concert hall in which attendees were shot and the building was set on fire. The group issued its claim quickly after the attack and provided video to support the claim. The attack appeared to catch Russian security services by surprise and shocked Russians. President Vladimir Putin, fresh off a reelection widely seen as illegitimate, pointed the finger at Ukraine, even as he said the attack was committed by ‘radical Islamists.’" [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
¶ kent seemed to follow a russian propaganda channel on telegram and echo its messages on his own social media platforms
HEADLINE: "House GOP Candidate’s Ukraine Posts Echo Kremlin-Touted Propaganda Channel" [Huffington Post, 9/18/24]
A Huffington Post Investigation Found Many Instances Between 2023 And 2024 Where Kent’s Social Media Posts Echoed Posts From Ukraine Watch, A Telegram Channel Touted By Russian Officials As A Reliable Source About The War In Ukraine. According to the Huffington Post, "Telegram allows users to send texts and videos between individuals, but also to sign up for feeds called ‘channels’ that focus on specific subjects. Kent’s X post in May is just one example of many, spread throughout 2023 and 2024, in which he seems to directly echo posts from Ukraine Watch, a channel that has been held up by Russian officials as a reliable source of information about the war in Ukraine." [Huffington Post, 9/18/24]
January 2024: Kent Posted A Screen Recording Of A Fox News Interview He Did And During The Recording A Telegram Notification Labeled “Ukraine Watch” Popped Up On Screen. According to the Huffington Post, "In January, Kent posted on X what appears to be a screen recording from his computer or phone of an interview he did with right-wing FOX News pundit Jesse Watters. In the recorded clip, a Telegram message notification labeled ‘Ukraine Watch’ pops up onscreen. In addition to his post about French troops, Kent has in other instances posted about obscure issues in the Ukraine-Russia conflict or echoed posts made earlier in the day on Ukraine Watch." [Huffington Post, 9/18/24]
- 6/12/24: The Same Day Ukraine Watch Posted A Video From A Russian News Outlet Showing A Russian Ship Entering A Harbor In Havana, Cuba, Kent Posted A Video Of The Russian Submarine Arriving In Havana And Expressed Concern About U.S. Aid To Ukraine. According to the Huffington Post, "On June 12, at 9:09 a.m., Ukraine Watch posted a video from Russian outlet RIA Novosti showing a Russian ship entering a harbor in Havana, Cuba. At 1:40 p.m., Kent posted a video of a Russian submarine arriving at Havana, under the comment: ‘Russia’s deployment to Cuba & ops off the East Coast are a response to Biden authorizing Ukraine to fire U.S. missiles into Russia & 2 yrs of reckless escalation. We are closer to WW3 than anytime since the Cuban missile crisis.’" [Huffington Post, 9/18/24]
- 3/26/23: Shortly After A Ukraine Watch Post About U.S. Aid To Ukraine, The Pentagon’s Fy 2024 Budget Request, And Focus On The Threat From Russia, Kent Claimed That U.S. Leaders Were Clicking Through “Defense Contractor Catalogues For The Next Big Arms Package To Ukraine.” According to the Huffington Post, "On March 26, 2023, at 11:01 a.m., a Ukraine Watch post detailed how much aid the U.S. had provided to Ukraine by that point and summarized the Pentagon’s new fiscal year 2024 budget request. It noted it included ‘$11 billion in hypersonics, $33.3 billion in space tech (more than ever before), and a high focus on ‘acute threat’ from Russia and support for Ukraine (as much as it will take).’ At 11:59 a.m., Kent posted on X, ‘As our leaders click thru defense contractors catalogues for the next big arms package to Ukraine the CCP gobbles up strategic choke points & forms economic alliances that chip away at the dollar’s reserve currency status.’" [Huffington Post, 9/18/24]
- 3/23/23: Shortly After Ukraine Watch Posted A Bloomberg News Article About A Chinese Effort To Broker Peace In Ukraine, Kent Posted The Same Article Expressing Concern About It. According to the Huffington Post, "On March 23, 2023, at 7:10 a.m., Ukraine Watch posted a headline from a Bloomberg News article warning about a Chinese effort to broker a Ukraine peace deal. ‘Regardless of the US reservations, dismissing [the Chinese plan for peace] outright could let China argue to other nations that are weary of the war — and of the economic damage it’s wreaking — that Washington isn’t interested in peace,’ the post said. At 8:43 a.m., Kent posted a link to the Bloomberg article, adding, ‘If the CCP brokers a cease fire in Ukraine, they are poised to take us down w/out firing a shot. Consolidation of the Eurasian economy, death of the petrodollar, control of manufacturing & shipping lanes = world leader & eventual reserve currency holder.’" [Huffington Post, 9/18/24]
¶ Kent opposed sending u.s. aid to ukraine and allowing ukraine to join nato
Kent Opposed Sending U.S. Aid To Help Ukraine. According to Huffington Post, "In his appearance on the Nunn show, Kent also advocated for halting Ukraine aid, which has been stalled in the House due to GOP opposition, to force the country to the bargaining table and freeze the conflict, a prospect Ukraine says would only give Russia time to prepare for a bigger attack." [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
Kent Said The U.S. Should Promise Russia That It Would Never Allow Ukraine Into NATO As A Way To Incentivize Russia To Stand Down. According to Huffington Post, "Kent also said he thought the U.S. should promise Russia that Ukraine would never be allowed into NATO, to entice Russia to stand down, and the U.S. should avoid getting dragged into helping redraw the borders between the two in any land-for-peace negotiation, if one happens." [Huffington Post, 3/29/24]
Kent Opposed Letting Ukraine Join NATO And Said The U.S. Should Be Looking For “Every Single Opportunity” To Have A Dialogue With Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Columbian, "But Joe Kent, a Republican congressional candidate out of Battle Ground, went on TV Thursday night with FOX News host Tucker Carlson to say the U.S. should take NATO membership for Ukraine ‘off the table.’ Kent, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, also said: ‘We should be looking for every single opportunity we have to dialogue with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and offer him a(n) off-ramp.’" [Columbian, 2/25/22]
¶ Kent Appears More Interested In Dismantling Intelligence Agencies Than Actually Leading Them
¶ kent wanted to “bring the national security state to heel”
Kent Called To “Bring The National Security State To Heel” Starting With The FBI And Justice Department. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter account, "We must bring the national security state to heel or we won’t have a country anymore. That has to be our top priority in 2023. We start with the FBI & DOJ." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 8/8/22]
¶ kent claimed senior military and INTELLIGENCE leaders showed contempt and hostility toward president trump – he even accused them of “general treachery”
Kent On Mid-To-Senior-Level Military And Intelligence Officials: “The Amount Of Disdain And General Treachery Towards President Trump Was Something I'd Never Seen Before. While At The Same Time, He Was Actually Getting Things Right.” According to the Independent, "Kent says he spoke to Trump for 10 minutes. They talked not only about his wife, but about America's so-called war on terror and where the nation's focus should be,. ‘I told him, 'Hey look, you don't know who I am. But I'm a guy who's been fighting these wars my entire adult life. And you're getting this right. But you're being thwarted at the mid to senior levels in a way that I have never seen before',’ says Kent. He says he served under Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama. ‘The amount of disdain and general treachery towards President Trump was something I'd never seen before. While at the same time, he was actually getting things right.’ He adds: ‘He was letting us actually go out and defeat the enemy. But then, when we got to the point where the enemy was destroyed, he said 'Hey, I'm getting the troops out. This is what I campaigned on, and this is what I'm going to do'’" [Independent, 2/7/22]
Kent Claimed He Experienced First Hand The Contempt That He Claimed Entrenched Federal Employees Had For Trump When He Joined The CIA After Retiring From The Military. According to the Seattle Times, "Kent's wife, Shannon Kent, a Navy cryptologist who had served four stints in Iraq and Afghanistan, was killed by a suicide bomber in January 2019 while fighting the terrorist group ISIS in Manbij, Syria, leaving behind two young sons. Kent met Trump when his wife's body was returned to the U.S., and says Trump spoke with him for more than 20 minutes, expressing condolences and asking his opinion on foreign deployments. He said he supports Trump's ‘America First’ agenda, and that he experienced firsthand the contempt entrenched federal employees had for the former president when working for the CIA after retiring from the military." [Seattle Times, 2/27/21]
Kent Claimed He Was Disgusted With Partisanship He Saw At The CIA And At The Upper Levels Of The Military. According to an interview Kent did with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, "KENT: I did. Yes, I really liked the way that the C.I.A.'s core mission is to go out and try and find the truth, try and find actionable Intelligence to help keep this country safe. Some of the partisanship that I saw there, I was pretty disgusted with. The same thing at the upper levels of the military, too. It was a night and day difference when President Trump came in. I mean, he -- there was those of us that were on the ground that have been fighting the wars, we really liked President Trump's foreign policy because ISIS had taken over two countries at that time, three if you count Libya, and he said, hey, I want the Caliphate crushed. Go in there crush the Caliphate and we're getting out. That was, you know -- so he gave us the tools that we needed, the authorities we needed to go in and conduct that mission, but then he attempted to at least get us out. Under Obama, there had just been the stagnation of we're going to continue to deploy, put people in danger, but we don't actually have the will to go in and defeat the enemy. So Trump, was very refreshing, but then also the way that Trump cut through a lot of the rhetoric about why we got into these wars in the first place. He, you know, know didn't pull any punches." [Fox News, Tucker Carlson, 6/18/21] (video)
Kent Claimed There Was A Lot Of Partisan Bitterness And Hostility Toward Trump Among Leadership In The Military And Intelligence Community. According to an interview Kent did with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, "KENT: Trump actually had the audacity to say -- CARLSON: You know what, you guys are great. KENT: Yes. Trump had the audacity to say, like, I'm going to check your math every now and again, saying, whoa, you're going to check my math? Like how dare you. CARLSON: So, could you -- you could feel the hostility toward him? KENT: I could, yes. Absolutely, I could. You know, the longer I was in, I think I was probably at two junior of a level to see any of that under Bush. When Obama came in, you know we were told, hey this is the Commander-in-Chief now, and all of us accepted that, of course. That's the oath that we took. CARLSON: Yes. KENT: The Commander-in-Chief, I didn't vote for the guy, but hey, I would go and fight and die under him, friends of mine fought and died under him, not a big deal. When Trump came in, it was a night and day difference. There was a partisan bitterness to a lot of the leadership. They did not like what Trump had said about them getting things wrong before, and then they did not like the drastic changes that Trump wanted to make, because the government hates change especially if change is going to end programs, especially lucrative programs like wars. So, there was a lot of just heavy disdain for Trump and his policies." [Fox News, Tucker Carlson, 6/18/21] (video)
¶ kent has repeatedly called to defund and dismantle the FBI
Kent Called To Defund The FBI. According to the Chronicle, "Kent’s aspirations are blunt: boost oil and gas production, defund the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Education, impose tariffs in an attempt to bring back manufacturing jobs, use the death penalty on drug dealers." [Chronicle, 10/3/22]
Kent Claimed The FBI Could Not Be Reformed Until It Was Defunded. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter that responded to Special Counsel Durham’s report, "This is a joke, no reforms will happen until the FBI is defunded & people are held accountable, its that simple." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 5/15/23]
Kent Called To “Completely Dismantle” The FBI. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "The FBI must be held accountable or completely dismantled. The FBI let antifa terrorists burn our cites & failed to prevent mass shootings because they were busy entrapping innocent Americans in Michigan & DC. We will hold them accountable via congressional oversight in 23’." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 4/13/22]
- Kent Claimed The FBI Allowed Antifa And Black Lives Matter To Riot And Kill And It Was Weaponized Against Conservatives. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "This is a classic low IQ jurno take. In 2020 the FBI had a chance to do their job, they failed & let antifa/BLM riot & kill. The FBI has been weaponized against Biden’s rivals & broken public trust. So now we must hold them accountable." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 9/24/23]
¶ Kent Called To Replace The FBI With Constitutional Sheriffs, Who Found Their Roots In Larger Antigovernment Movements
Kent Called To Defund The FBI And Fund “Constitutional Sheriffs.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "Defund the FBI, fund constitutional sheriffs. Give the power to the people not the bureaucrats. When the FBI prioritizes it’s political agenda over protecting children, it’s beyond repair." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 9/20/22]
- Southern Poverty Law Center Said Constitutional Sheriffs Were A Subset Of The Larger Antigovernment Movement And Found Their Origins In The County Supremacy Movement, Which Believed Counties Should Have Control Of Their Land Over The State And Federal Governments. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, "The concept of the constitutional sheriff is a subset of the larger antigovernment movement. Its origins are in the American county supremacy movement, which includes two concepts that often work in tandem. One is that county government should have control of all the land within its borders, taking this power away from the state and federal government. The other is focused on the role of the county sheriff, who is believed to have ultimate law enforcement authority in the United States. Christian Identity minister William Potter Gale’s idea of ‘Posse Comitatus,’ is Latin for ‘the power of the county.’" [Southern Poverty Law Center, Constitutional Sheriffs, Viewed 1/15/25]
¶ kent complained that president biden “allowed terrorists to be treated like criminals with civil rights”
Kent Claimed President Biden “Allowed Terrorists To Be Treated Like Criminals [With] Civil Rights.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "A disgraceful end to Biden’s disgraceful career. Senator Biden voted for the Iraq War, allowed terrorists to be treated like criminals w/civil rights, VP Biden oversaw our debacle in Syria & Iraq, the formation of ISIS, as POTUS, the AFG w/drawl & stumbling us towards WW3. This is just more salt in the wounds for those who love our nation. Remember in November." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 8/1/24]
¶ kent believed intelligence agencies were wasting their time on “Crap” in opposition to their missions
Kent Claimed President Biden Ordered The Intelligence Community To Fight Climate Change While Funneling Billions Of Dollars To Iran. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "Biden orders the intel community to fight climate change while funneling billions to Iran, this isn’t simple incompetence. This is malice. From our open border to killing US energy to Afghanistan & Ukraine, all of Biden’s policies work against America & none of it is a mistake." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 11/14/23]
Kent Criticized A Pride Month Post On The CIA’s Twitter Account And Said The U.S. Should Cut Everything Besides Recruiting Spies And Stealing Secrets From Foreign Adversaries. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "Once again, I’d like to remind you that we can & must make massive defense cuts. The CIA’s job is to recruit spies & steal secrets from our foreign adversaries. The DOD’s job is to fight & win wars. Cut everything else, start w/ this crap-" [Twitter, Joe Kent, 6/8/23]
¶ kent claimed INTELLIGENCE experts were “completely and totally uncreative”
Kent Claimed “So-Called Intelligence Experts” Were “Completely And Totally Uncreative” And All They Wanted Was To Go To War Rather Than Offering Real Solutions. According to an interview Kent gave with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, "CARLSON: You know, I've heard people describe the Intel Community as the fourth branch of government. I thought it was an overstatement, then I see mouth breathers like Tony Blinken just repeating these talking points, clearly, directly from a C.I.A. briefing. I see reporters do the same, talk show hosts do the same, poor old Joe Biden has no idea what he's saying, but he is repeating the same lies. It does feel like a lot of our foreign policy is controlled by people we didn't vote for in the Intel Community. KENT: It really is. And these so-called Intelligence experts, they're completely and totally uncreative. They're not offering any actual solutions. All they're saying every time there's a problem is that we just need to go to war at the behest of the Military Industrial Complex when what they should be doing is offering ground truth and saying: Hey, we have other options here. We have economic power that we can use. They should be doing everything to prevent us from going to war, as opposed to every time defaulting to the one thing that has never worked and will be absolutely destructive for not just our country, but for every country and that is war." [Fox News, Tucker Carlson, 2/17/22] (video)
¶ White Nationalists, Nazi Sympathizers, And Extremist Groups Were All Connected To Kent’s Campaign
¶ joe kent claimed THERE was NOTHING WRONG with THERE BEING A “white people special interest group”
HEADLINE: “Trump-Endorsed Candidate Humiliates Himself During ‘Excruciating’ Podcast With Teenage ‘White Nationalists’” [Raw Story, 3/10/22]
Kent: “I Don’t Think There’s Anything Wrong With There Being A White People Special Interest Group.” According to the Associated Press, “Kent appeared on a far-right YouTube channel where he echoed sentiments similar to those held by many white nationalists. ‘I don’t think there’s anything wrong with there being a white people special interest group,’ Kent said during the YouTube interview with a group called the American Populist Union.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22; YouTube, American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:38:08
- Asked About His Feelings On “Identity Politics,” Kent Said “The Whole Race Issue Is Really A Side Show, It’s Essentially To Keep Us Distracted And To Keep Us Fighting.” According to an interview with far-right conservative group American Populist Union, “DAVID CARLSON: Just kind of dive deeper into your ideas about identity politics. Just kind of flesh that out a little bit more, using the phrase and then we’ll go into the chat for some questions. […] KENT: The whole critical theory thing in America, race is the strongest thread to pull on just because of our history, and that’s what they're doing to divide us. I feel that the whole race issue is really a sideshow, it’s essentially to keep us distracted and to keep us fighting” [YouTube, American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:21:40
Asked If He Thought White People Were Discriminated Against Today, Kent Replied “Certainly.” According to an interview with the American Populist Union, “DAVID CARLSON: Would you say that white people are discriminated against in America today? KENT: Yeah, certainly. Yeah, I would. I mean, CRT, if we're gonna talk about critical race theory, if we talk about our culture, I mean to say that the culture is anti white, to say that the culture is anti straight white male like yeah I mean you can I feel like that's fairly easy to bring receipts to to back up.” [YouTube, American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:04:46
- The American Populist Union Was A Gen-Z White Supremacist Group. According to New York Times’ columnist Michelle Goldberg, "In March, five months before he became the Republican nominee in a Washington State congressional race, Joe Kent appeared on a webcast hosted by a Gen-Z white nationalist group called the American Populist Union. Kent, who would soon be endorsed by Donald Trump, was there to explain his disavowal of Nick Fuentes, a smirking 24-year-old far-right influencer whom The New York Times has described as ‘a prominent white supremacist.’ On one side of the split screen was David Carlson, the American Populist Union’s baby-faced chief content officer." [New York Times, Michelle Goldberg, 9/24/22]
- Arizona Mirror: “The American Populist Union Is Closely Aligned With Groypers, A Group Of White Nationalists Who Strive For Their Ideas To Become A Part Of The Republican Mainstream And Are Largely Followers Of 23-Year-Old White Nationalist Nick Fuentes.” According to the Arizona Mirror, "The American Populist Union is closely aligned with groypers, a group of white nationalists who strive for their ideas to become a part of the Republican mainstream and are largely followers of 23-year-old white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In 2021, Gosar was the first elected official to speak at Fuentes’ America First Political Action Conference in 2021. This year, the conference saw speeches by Gosar, Rogers and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene." [Arizona Mirror, 4/6/22]
¶ Kent’s Campaign Had Ties With Known White Nationalist Nick Fuentes
¶ Kent Defended Nick Fuentes In A Tweet Then Later Tried To Distance Himself From Fuentes
4/28/21: Kent Defended Fuentes In A Tweet. According to CNN, “In April 2021, Kent tweeted in defense of Fuentes after he was banned from Twitter. ‘Many are glad that their political rivals are targeted by the state & big tech, they hate Trump, @NickJFuentes & MAGA. This short side thinking has led to some of the greatest tragedies in human history. We must fight for all speech & fight the confluence of gov & big tech.’ He later said he stood by his comments but reiterated he did not want Fuentes’ endorsement because of Fuentes’ ‘focus on race/religion.’”
[CNN, 9/30/22; Twitter, Joe Kent, 4/28/21]
March 2022: Kent Attempted To Distance Himself From Nick Fuentes After It Was Reported That Fuentes Was Involved In A Kent Campaign Strategy Call. According to the Associated Press, “Kent has also sought support from figures associated with the white nationalist ‘Groyper Army’ movement led by Nick Fuentes, an internet personality who has promoted white supremacist beliefs and attended the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Kent has acknowledged that a political consultant set up a call early in his campaign that Fuentes was part of, where expanding his campaign’s reach on social media was discussed. But he denied that there was any sort of formal arrangement and distanced himself from Fuentes in March after their affiliation became broadly known. Kent tweeted at the time that he did not want ‘want Fuentes’s endorsement due his focus on race/religion.’” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
3/3/22: Kent Condemned Nick Fuentes On Twitter. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “My opponents are again spreading lies about me. I strongly condemn Nick Fuentes's politics, especially in regards to our ally Israel. I ignored his invitation to speak at his recent conference in Orlando, and I am not aware of nor do I accept any endorsement from him.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 3/3/22]
- A Group Of Fuentes Supporters Overtook Kent’s Town Hall To Question Him After He Denounced Fuentes. According to the Chronicle, “Kent is facing backlash from Fuentes supporters, including five men from Idaho who drove five hours, despite soaring gas prices, to attend the Wednesday night event in Onalaska. The group confirmed to The Chronicle they were there to support Fuentes […] Throughout the meeting, the six men took turns hurling questions at Kent, with many focused on race. They were met with hostility from the mostly-local crowd of around 75 people, a majority of whom cheered loudly when Kent said his platform was meant to be populist and aimed at ‘fighting for’ all Americans ‘regardless of what your skin color is, regardless of what your religion is.’” [Chronicle, 3/11/22]
¶ A Top Kent Campaign Strategist Had A Booth For His Own Organization At A Nick Fuente Conference
2021: Kent Top Strategist Matt Braynard Set Up A Booth At Nick Fuente’s Conference To Recruit Volunteers For Braynard’s Organization Look Ahead America. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “Kent’s chief consultant, Matt Braynard, also attended Fuentes’ conference last year. Braynard, executive director of the organization Look Ahead America, set up a booth at the conference. The Washington D.C.-based organization has spearheaded claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, and hosted a ‘Justice for J6’ rally last September. According to Fuentes, Braynard and his organization set up the only booth at the conference, called the America First Political Action Conference. Braynard said Friday that he was present at both AFPAC and the more mainstream Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC. ‘We were there to recruit volunteers,’ Braynard said. ‘There were a lot of people there that weren’t at the other.’” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 3/7/22]
¶ Kent’s 2022 Campaign Was Connected To Known Nazi Sympathizer Greyson Arnold
HEADLINE: “GOP Congressional Candidate Joe Kent’s Ties To White Nationalists Include Interview With Nazi Sympathizer” [CNN, 9/30/22]
June 2022: Kent Granted An Impromptu Interview To Nazi Sympathizer Greyson Arnold And Kent’s Campaign Later Insisted He Had “No Idea Who That Individual Was.” According to CNN, “Despite disavowing White nationalism last spring when one of its adherents endorsed him, a US House candidate in Washington subsequently gave a previously unreported interview in June to a Nazi sympathizer and White nationalist. While Republican Joe Kent touted his support for prominent far-right figures like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green and Paul Gosar and supported MAGA policies, he was speaking with Greyson Arnold, a Nazi sympathizer. Kent’s exchange with Arnold is all the more notable because just weeks later Kent’s campaign worked to distance him from Arnold after photos surfaced of the pair together. A Kent campaign strategist told the Associated Press in July that the campaign did not do background checks on those who took selfies with the candidate […] In a statement to CNN, campaign spokesperson Matt Braynard said, ‘Joe Kent had no idea who that individual was when he encountered him on the street and Joe Kent has repeatedly condemned the statements that the individual is accused of making.’” [CNN, 9/30/22; Instagram, Greyson Arnold, 8/31/22]
- Greyson Arnold Called Nazi Men The “Pure Race” And Spread Several Harmful Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories Online. According to CNN, “On a since-suspended Twitter account and active channel on Telegram called ‘Pure Politics,’ Greyson, or ‘American Greyson’ as he calls himself, has shared posts that called Nazi men the ‘pure race’ and that the US should have sided with the Nazis during World War Two. Arnold has falsely claimed there were ‘Jewish plans to genocide the German people,’ and in a post, he shared a quote that said the ‘Jewish led colored hordes of the Earth’ were attempting to exterminate White people.” [CNN, 9/30/22]
- Greyson Arnold, Who Personally Identified As A “Christian White Nationalist,” Attended The January 6th Attack On The Capitol. According to the Associated Press, “In April, Kent was photographed at a fundraiser giving a thumbs-up with Greyson Arnold, a Groyper-aligned commentator who identifies as a ‘Christian American Nationalist.’ Like Fuentes, Arnold was also at the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
¶ Greyson Arnold Attended A Joe Kent Fundraiser And Kent’s Primary Victory Party
April 2022: Kent Took Multiple Photos With Arnold During A Campaign Event. According to CNN, “Arnold was pictured in multiple photographs with Kent at a fundraiser in April and has been canvassing for Republican candidates with Washington State Young Republicans, with one recent photo showing Arnold in a Joe Kent shirt according to photos on their public Instagram.” [CNN, 9/30/22]
- 4/29/22: Arnold Posted A Photo From A Campaign Event Including Joe Kent. According to the photo from Arnold’s Instagram,
[Instagram, Greyson Arnold, 4/29/22]
2022: Arnold Posted A Photo With Kent At Kent’s Primary Victory Party And Called Him His “Friend.” According to a post on Greyson Arnold’s Instagram page, “Had a great time with my friend Joe Kent at his primary victory party. I've put as many of my volunteers as possible out to help and we are putting even more boots on the ground! President Trump's America First movement needs all of us working together to Make America Great Again.”
[Instagram, Greyson Arnold, 10/3/22]
¶ Kent’s 2022 Campaign Paid A Proud Boy $11,375 For Consulting Work
2022: Kent Hired A Man Who Law Enforcement Labeled A “Proud Boy” As A Campaign Consultant. According to the Associated Press, “Campaign finance disclosures reveal Kent recently paid $11,375 for ‘consulting’ over the past four months to Graham Jorgensen, who was identified as a Proud Boy in a law enforcement report and was charged with cyber stalking his ex-girlfriend in 2018. The charges were dismissed in late 2019. But a judge in Vancouver, Washington, issued an order of protection requiring Jorgensen to stay away from her, records show. Kent’s campaign said Jorgensen was a low-level worker who hands out literature and puts up signs and denied he has any current affiliation with ‘outside organizations.’ They declined to make Jorgensen available for an interview.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
¶ Kent Had Several Close Allies With Ties To Extremist Groups
¶ Kent Advisor Matt Braynard Organized A Rally To Support Insurrectionists, Which Kent Spoke At
2021: One Of Kent’s Top Strategists, Matt Braynard, Organized A Rally In Support Of Insurrectionists, Which Kent Spoke At. According to the Associated Press, “Braynard, one of Kent’s top advisers, was the architect of a Washington, D.C., rally last year that sought to build sympathy for those arrested during the insurrection by rebranding them as ‘political prisoners.’ Kent spoke at the rally, which was poorly attended.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
- Matt Braynard: “The World Will Be A Better Place When Germany Is Again Proud Of Its History.” [Twitter, Matt Braynard, 6/3/18]
¶ Kent “Close Political Ally” Joey Gibson Founded A Christian Nationalist Group That Coordinated Demonstrations With The Proud Boys
Kent’s Political Ally Joey Gibson Founded A Christian Nationalist Group That Coordinated Demonstrations With The Proud Boys. According to the Associated Press, “Kent is also a close political ally of Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer. Since establishing the group in 2016, Gibson has organized demonstrations in Portland, as well as the city’s Washington state suburbs, where he and his followers have clashed with left-wing groups. Many of the demonstrations were coordinated with the Proud Boys. The often violent rallies organized by Gibson drew anti-government activists, extremists as well as white supremacists to unite in common cause — namely fighting left-wing activists.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
- 2021: Kent Praised Joey Gibson At A Campaign Fundraiser. According to the Associated Press, “Gibson regularly promotes Kent’s campaign on social media and spoke at a Kent fundraiser last year. When it was Kent’s turn to speak at the event, he lavished Gibson with praise, explaining that Gibson ‘defended this community when our community was under assault from antifa.’ Gibson was acquitted last week on felony riot charges after an altercation with left-wing activists at a Portland bar.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
¶ March 2022: Kent Spoke At A Rally Hosted By The Washington State Three Percenters
3/5/22: Kent Attended And Spoke At A Rally Hosted By The Washington State Three Percenters, An Anti-Government Extremist Group. According to the Anti-Defamation League, “Kent attended and spoke at the March 5, 2022 “GRIT” (Government Resistance Impedes Tyranny) event at the Washington State Capitol and posted about his participation on Twitter. The rally was hosted by anti-government extremist group Washington State Three Percenters.” [Anti-Defamation League, 8/4/22]
- 3/5/22: Kent Attended The GRIT Rally In Olympia, Washington To Advocate For “Election Integrity” And “The End Of Covid Tyranny.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “Great to see all the Patriots at GRIT rally in Olympia yesterday! We will keep fighting for election integrity, the end of Covid tyranny, for our 2A & for the sovereignty of our families & nation.”
[Twitter, Joe Kent, 3/6/22]
¶ Oath Keepers Member And Far-Right Arizona State Lawmaker Wendy Rogers Endorsed Kent’s 2022 Campaign
Kent Accepted An Endorsement From Wendy Rogers, A Member Of The Oath Keepers, A Far-Right Militia Group. According to the Associated Press, “And his candidacy is endorsed by far-right Arizona state lawmaker Wendy Rogers, who has identified herself as a member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group that played an outsize role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Kent publicly thanked Rogers for her endorsement and has raised doubts about the circumstances that led to the arrest of Oath Keepers over their role in the attack.” [Associated Press, 7/27/22]
¶ kent used violent rhetoric when talking about black lives matter
Kent Called Promised To “Hunt Down” Black Lives Matter Activists Who He Called Terrorists And To Engage In The “Strategic Decapitation” Of Anti-Fascist And Black Lives Matter Groups. According to the Chronicle, "Joe Kent further solidified his place as perhaps the furthest-right candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler Thursday night. The Conservative Ladies of Washington candidate forum was held in Centralia's Pathway Christian Church, where Morton Police Chief Roger Morningstar posed questions to candidates Kent, Wadi Yakhour and Heidi St. John. While all three announced their candidacy in response to Herrera Beutler's vote to impeach then-president Donald Trump, Kent was distinguished by his sometimes-militant language, including his promise to ‘hunt down’ Black Lives Matter activists — who he referred to as terrorists — pull on his overseas combat experience and engage in ‘strategic decapitation’ of anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter groups." [Chronicle, 8/13/21]
¶ Joe Kent Spread Conspiracy Theories That The 2020 Election Was Stolen And January 6th Was A Government-Planned Operation
¶ kent said he was “pretty confident” that the 2020 election was “rigged or stolen”
Kent: “I'm Pretty Confident In What I've Seen, The Election Was Rigged Or Stolen, However You Want To Put It, And Joe Biden Did Not Get 270 Electoral Votes.” According to the Independent, "After Herrera-Beutler voted in favour of impeachment, he acted. ‘I was like, 'well, I can sit here and complain about it. Or I can go try and do something about it'.’ Kent seems like a smart guy, someone who spent two decades working with groups such as the CIA, and surrounded by people who needed to be able to assess intelligence and facts. How can he support Trump's claim the election had been ‘stolen’? He insists there were irregularities with the vote. ‘I'm pretty confident in what I've seen, the election was rigged or stolen, however you want to put it, and Joe Biden did not get 270 electoral votes,’ he says. ‘The way I'll always caveat that, though, is that I believe that, and I want to prove it, I want there to be a venue. I think when I get to Congress, we need to have a full congressional inquiry.’" [Independent, 12/23/22]
¶ kent claimed 2020 election conspiracy theorists were “branded as insurrectionists, fringy people, white supremacists”
Kent Complained People Were Labeled As Insurrectionists And White Supremacists For Questioning The 2020 Election Results. According to the Columbian, “Kent said November's outcome unveiled what he described as the left's chokehold on the country. ‘The way that the bureaucrats, technocrats, social media and our media moved in lockstep to take away our vote in 2020. And then they told us that we couldn't even question it, and if we did we'd be branded as insurrectionists, fringey people, white supremacists and a host of other derogatory terms,’ Kent said.” [Columbian, 3/31/21]
- Joe Kent Claimed Bureaucrats, Technocrats, Social Media, And The Media “Moved In Lockstep To Take Away Our Vote In 2020.” According to an answer Joe Kent gave during a WA-03 congressional candidates forum, “JOE KENT: We saw this all unfold and come to fruition in 2020 with the way that the election happened, the way that the bureaucrats, and technocrats, social media and our media moved in lockstep to take away our vote in 2020. And then they told us that we couldn't even question it. And if we did, we'd be branded as insurrectionists, fringy people, white supremacists and a host of other derogatory terms that had consequences. And those consequences led to us being deplatformed and our ability to earn a living taken away our ability to have access to our free speech taken away. It's continued to codify. Ever since the Congress was sworn in, the Senate was sworn in , and the Democrats are in full control." [WA-03 Congressional Candidate Forum, 3/30/21] (video) 00:08:40
- Kent Claimed If People Questioned The 2020 Election Results They Were “Branded As Insurrectionists, Fringy People, White Supremacists And A Host Of Other Derogatory Terms That Had Consequences.” According to an answer Joe Kent gave during a WA-03 congressional candidates forum, “JOE KENT: We saw this all unfold and come to fruition in 2020 with the way that the election happened, the way that the bureaucrats, and technocrats, social media and our media moved in lockstep to take away our vote in 2020. And then they told us that we couldn't even question it. And if we did, we'd be branded as insurrectionists, fringy people, white supremacists and a host of other derogatory terms that had consequences. And those consequences led to us being deplatformed and our ability to earn a living taken away our ability to have access to our free speech taken away. It's continued to codify. Ever since the Congress was sworn in, the Senate was sworn in , and the Democrats are in full control." [WA-03 Congressional Candidate Forum, 3/30/21] (video) 00:08:40
Kent Said He Was “Deeply Offended” That Vice President Harris Equated The January 6th Insurrection To Pearl Harbor And 9/11 As Major Dates In The American Memory. "CARLSON: So at the Capitol today, as we told you, Kamala Harris will literally read anything that arises on the teleprompter in front of her, read a script that compared January 6 to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, and we're quoting, ‘Dates that occupy not only a place on our calendars, but a place in our collective memory, December 7 1941, September 11, 2001, and January 6, 2020.’ So you know, it's easy to mock that. It's obviously ludicrous, but it's also maybe if you fought this country's war, more than ludicrous, maybe it's offensive. Joe Kent has fought this country's wars for many years as a career soldier. He is now running for Congress in Washington State. We wish him well in that. He joins us now. Joe Kent, thanks so much for coming on. So, what was your reaction when you heard the Vice President of the United States say this? JOE KENT (R), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE FOR WASHINGTON STATE: Well, obviously, Tucker, I was deeply offended because it is absolutely appalling, and just completely ridiculous. But what I want people to realize is exactly what she is doing. Like you said, I fought these wars before and I've seen this playbook ran before. What Kamala Harris is doing, what Joe Biden is doing is they're taking very powerful imagery, and they're saying that the attack on Pearl Harbor, the attack on 9/11, this is the same thing that took place on January 6 because that allows people to compare Trump supporters to Nazis to actual members of al-Qaeda, and with that imagery comes the justification to turn the tools of the state against them." [Fox News, Tucker Carlson, 1/6/22] (video)
¶ 2022: Kent Called For Every Republican Who Voted For The Committee To Investigate January 6th To Be Primaried, Including His Republican Opponent
Kent Called For Every Member of Congress Who Voted For The January Sixth Committee To Be Primaried. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Facebook, “This is exactly what happens when spineless Republicans like @HerreraBeutler vote for sham witch hunts. Every radical policy the left is pushing is enabled by establishment hack Republicans. Primary every Republican who voted for the J6 committee.” [Facebook, Joe Kent, 6/6/22]
¶ Kent Initially Condemned The Violence On January 6th Then Changed His Position To Align With the far-right
Kent’s Initial Reaction To January 6th Was To Condemn The Violence And Call It “Dangerous And Foolish.” According to the Seattle Times, “At first, as the Jan. 6, 2021, attack unfolded, Kent appeared to be disturbed by the spectacle of a mob assaulting Capitol police and chanting for Vice President Mike Pence to be hanged. He condemned the violence in a tweet that day as ‘dangerous and foolish,’ saying it undermined the efforts of Republican members of Congress who were objecting to Biden's win inside the Capitol. ‘The movement that Trump gave a voice to is not going away because of the actions of a criminal mob. Violence is wrong & foolish,’ he added the day after the attack.” [Seattle Times, 11/4/22]
Since January 6th, Kent Joined The Far-Right In Downplaying The Attack On The Capitol And Spreading Disinformation About The 2020 Election And January 6th. According to the Seattle Times, “But since then, Kent has sought to downplay the Jan. 6 attack, joining a national trend among many Republicans, including members of Congress who were seen fleeing or hiding in the Capitol as protesters banged on doors and smashed windows. Kent has been a regular guest on far-right media outlets pushing disinformation about the 2020 election and Jan. 6, including former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s podcast, Infowars and Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show.” [Seattle Times, 11/4/22]
¶ Kent spewed a Conspiracy Theory That January 6th Was An Intelligence Operation by the u.s. government
Kent Claimed People Wanted Congress To Investigate January 6th And “Release All The Footage, Disclose The Government’s Involvement.” JOE KENT: "No, it's not a Trump thing. There is. The fact of the matter. The only reason that people were there on that day of January 6th is that the American people, a vast majority of them, did not feel like their voices were heard at the election box. And therefore things started to get a little bit dicey. And if our ruling class won't go back and actually adjudicated what happened with our elections, our system is going to continue to decay. And no matter how much people in Congress lecture us or ignore these problems, our system will crumble until we get people in there like I think we're going to have this November that can actually say, Hey, we hear you. We're going to go back. We're going to look at the election of 2020. We're going to have a full committee. We're going to keep the January six committee going. We're going to disclose to the American people once and for all what actually happened, release all the footage, disclose the government's involvement. We have to start respecting our people once again. Everything that Liz Cheney just said, everything the woman that I'm running against, Jamie Herrera-Butler, who's too afraid to come face her constituents or face me in a debate. Everything they stand for, we have to cast that off if we are going to preserve this republic." [Fox News, Tucker Carlson, 6/9/22] (video)
Kent Alleged January Sixth Was An “Intelligence Operation” And January 6th Defendants Were “Political Prisoners.” According to KGW, “He told KGW he believes January 6 was an ‘intelligence operation’ and that defendants are being held as ‘political prisoners.’ At a Clark County Republican Party town hall on Monday, Kent met with voters who praised his ties to President Trump, which includes his skepticism of the 2020 election results. Kent said each state’s certification and review of the vote hasn’t been enough to convince him it was fair. He previously joined a series of lawsuits filed in Washington claiming county auditors in his district had ‘flipped votes.’” [KGW, 10/6/22]
- Kent: “I Used To Work Human Intelligence Operations, And The More That Comes Out About January 6th, I Think That Looks A Lot More Like An Intelligence Operation Than Obviously A Riot Inspired By President Trump.” According to Joe Kent’s interview with the far-right conservative group American Populist Union, “KENT: I've done a good deal with using my knowledge of the intelligence community to call out a lot of the shenanigans, especially around January 6th. I mean the more information that comes out about that. I used to work human intelligence operations, and the more that comes out about January 6th, I think that looks a lot more like an intelligence operation than obviously a riot inspired by President Trump, or even just a random riot or a riot initially. I thought initially the riot just happened due to incompetence but the more that’s come out, I mean it reeks of an absolute intelligence operation. I’ve talked about it a good deal, I’m happy to go into it.” [American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:25:57
12/21/21: Kent Claimed The Government Had Agents Involved In January 6th. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Facebook, “The gov had agents involved in J6, they are closely guarding what their roles were. Darren Beattie & Revolver highlight the roles that several unindicted individuals played in breeching the Capitol & removing barriers that would warn ppl that they were trespassing.” [Facebook, Joe Kent, 12/21/21]
6/9/22: Kent Implied Government Agents Were Involved In Planning January 6th. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “How many government controlled agents/sources/informants were involved in planning J6 & on or near the capitol on J6? What was their role & who were the in communication with? All of this is likely documented w/ the FBI & being shielded by the capitol police’s FOIA protection.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 6/9/22]
Kent Shared Posts Promoting A Conspiracy Theory About A Man Who Some Alleged Was A Government Agent Who Helped Instigate January 6th. According to the Seattle Times, “Kent has repeatedly shared articles from websites promoting the conspiracy theory that a Trump supporter named Ray Epps, who was taped urging people to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6, was actually a government agent who helped instigate the attack. Epps, who was initially on an FBI wanted list, did not enter the Capitol and testified to the Jan. 6 committee that he was not a government agent or asset.” [Seattle Times, 11/4/22]
- Republicans And Conservative Media Spread A Conspiracy Theory That Ray Epps Was A Confidential Source For The FBI Or Another Federal Law Enforcement Agency. According to the Associated Press, "Epps, a onetime Donald Trump supporter from Arizona, became the focus of a conspiracy theory that he was an undercover government agent who incited the Capitol attack. Right-wing news outlets amplified the conspiracy theory and drove him into hiding after the Jan. 6 riot. Epps, who worked as a roofer after serving four years as infantry in the U.S. Marine Corps, has vehemently denied ever working for the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gordon said during Epps’ plea hearing in September that he was not a confidential source for the FBI ‘or any other law enforcement agency.’" [Associated Press, 1/2/24]
Kent Implied That January 6th Was A Government Operation Like The Ones He Conducted While Serving Overseas In Iraq. According to the speech Joe Kent gave at the Justice for J6 rally, "JOE KENT: Make no mistake, what governments do overseas, they will do here and they've already started. It's banana republic stuff. When political prisoners are arrested and denied due process, that happens overseas all the time. Unfortunately, we conducted operations like that when I was in Iraq serving overseas, and it did nothing but further radicalize people. It is very dangerous. We our founders, gave us protections in our Constitution to make sure that those things did not happen here in America." [Justice for J6 Rally, 9/17/21] (video) 00:45:59
¶ Kent Referred To January 6th Rioters Who Were Charged With Crimes As “Political Prisoners”
HEADLINE: "Trump-Backed Candidate Rants About ‘Political Prisoners’ At Pro-Rioter ‘Justice For J6′ Rally’" [Mediaite, 9/18/21]
Kent Called People Who Were Charged With Crimes Related To January 6th “Political Prisoners.” According to Mediaite, “Joe Kent, a Trump-endorsed candidate challenging Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), called the Jan. 6 rioters who have been charged with various crimes ‘political prisoners’ during a speech at the Justice for J6 rally on Saturday. ‘Our fellow citizens when their constitutional rights are taken, if we do not speak out against that we are guilty of standing by and watching those rights erode,’ he said. ‘Make no mistake what governments do overseas, they will do here and they’ve already started.’” [Mediaite, 9/18/21]
- Kent On January 6th Defendants: “Make No Mistake, What Governments Do Overseas, They Will Do Here And They've Already Started. It's Banana Republic Stuff. When Political Prisoners Are Arrested And Denied Due Process, That Happens Overseas All The Time.” According to the speech Joe Kent gave at the Justice for J6 rally, "JOE KENT: Make no mistake, what governments do overseas, they will do here and they've already started. It's banana republic stuff. When political prisoners are arrested and denied due process, that happens overseas all the time. Unfortunately, we conducted operations like that when I was in Iraq serving overseas, and it did nothing but further radicalize people. It is very dangerous. We our founders, gave us protections in our Constitution to make sure that those things did not happen here in America." [Justice for J6 Rally, 9/17/21] (video) 00:45:59
¶ Kent spread conspiracy theories that the 2020 presidential election was stolen
June 2022: Kent Suggested American Democracy Would Decay If People In Power Did Not Investigate The 2020 Election Results. According to the Columbian, “Kent claimed the 2020 presidential election results were fraudulent while on the Fox News program Thursday. Despite comprehensive analyses proving otherwise, Kent continued to back former President Donald Trump's assertion that the election was stolen, which was made in an effort to maintain his position in office. ‘If our ruling class won't go back and actually adjudicate what happened with our elections, our system is going to continue to decay,’ Kent said, referring to the 2020 presidential election.” [Columbian, Blog, 6/10/22]
- Kent: “If Our Ruling Class Won't Go Back And Actually Adjudicated What Happened With Our Elections, Our System Is Going To Continue To Decay.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, “JOE KENT: No, it's not a Trump thing. There is. The fact of the matter. The only reason that people were there on that day of January 6th is that the American people, a vast majority of them, did not feel like their voices were heard at the election box. And therefore things started to get a little bit dicey. And if our ruling class won't go back and actually adjudicated what happened with our elections, our system is going to continue to decay. And no matter how much people in Congress lecture us or ignore these problems, our system will crumble until we get people in there like I think we're going to have this November that can actually say, Hey, we hear you. We're going to go back. We're going to look at the election of 2020. We're going to have a full committee. We're going to keep the January six committee going. We're going to disclose to the American people once and for all what actually happened, release all the footage, disclose the government's involvement. We have to start respecting our people once again. Everything that Liz Cheney just said, everything the woman that I'm running against, Jamie Herrera-Butler, who's too afraid to come face her constituents or face me in a debate. Everything they stand for, we have to cast that off if we are going to preserve this republic." [Fox News, Tucker Carlson, 6/9/22] (video)
2022: Kent Stated “We Must Fully Adjudicate The Presidential Election Of 2020.” According to Joe Kent’s archived 2022 campaign website, “To maintain the cornerstone of our Republic, we must fully adjudicate the Presidential election of 2020. Several courts should have done the adjudication. However, each court that had the chance to strengthen our system neglected its duties. Therefore, Congress must fully adjudicate the election of 2020 in a congressional hearing, subpoena witnesses, and evidence to show the American people exactly what transpired in November of 2020. The trust that we have in our system of government is sacred. We must have complete faith that all legal votes are counted and that states only count legal votes. In November of 2020, the American people’s trust was broken by widespread irregularities, fraud, and the media’s commanding narrative that Joe Biden had won the Presidency and anyone who questioned this narrative would be labeled an insurrectionist, terrorist or be de-platformed.” [Joe Kent For Congress, Viewed 5/21/24 via archive.org]
Kent Joined Lawsuits That Claimed Washington County Election Auditors “Flipped Votes.” According to KGW, “He told KGW he believes January 6 was an ‘intelligence operation’ and that defendants are being held as ‘political prisoners.’ At a Clark County Republican Party town hall on Monday, Kent met with voters who praised his ties to President Trump, which includes his skepticism of the 2020 election results. Kent said each state’s certification and review of the vote hasn’t been enough to convince him it was fair. He previously joined a series of lawsuits filed in Washington claiming county auditors in his district had ‘flipped votes.’” [KGW, 10/6/22]
- Kent Signed On As A Plaintiff In A Lawsuit That Claimed More Than 400,000 Votes Were Tampered With In Washington State. According to the Seattle Times, “The state GOP is, however, formally supporting the candidacies of congressional candidates Kent and Doug Basler, who have each signed on as plaintiffs in conspiracy-laden lawsuits, still pending in federal court, which baselessly claim that more than 400,000 votes in Washington’s 2020 elections were flipped, added or removed.” [Seattle Times, 10/2/22]
¶ September 2022: Kent Attended An Election Denial Conference
September 2022: Kent Attended An Election Denial Conference In Vancouver, Washington. According to the Seattle Times, “But the Clark County event, organized by a group called Patriots United, shows that many Republicans continue to embrace doubts or outright denial of the results. The gathering at the RV Inn Style Convention Center, north of downtown Vancouver, had the feel of a small political convention, with tables set up with flyers promoting local candidates and a slew of proposed ballot initiatives. Among those on hand: Trump-endorsed congressional candidate Joe Kent, who also has denied Biden’s victory and said he wants the U.S. House to investigate the 2020 election if Republicans take a majority.” [Seattle Times, 10/2/22]
¶ Joe Kent Appeared On 2020 Election Conspiracy Theorist, Mike Lindell’s TV Program
7/10/21: Joe Kent Appeared On Lindell TV, A Program Hosted By Election Conspiracy Theorist Mike Lindell. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter,
[Twitter, Joe Kent, 7/10/21]
¶ Kent Believed Everyone Should Have To Vote In-Person On Paper Ballots
Kent Believed Everyone Should Have To Vote In-Person On Paper Ballots. According to an iVoterGuide survey, “QUESTION: What laws would you propose to change present voting practices? KENT: Everyone must be required to provide a photo ID and proof of citizenship before they vote. People should vote in person on paper ballots that are hand counted under the observation of all parties involved. Election officials should be able to establish a chain of custody for all ballots. This will be easy to do if voters cast ballots in person in their own precinct.” [iVoterGuide, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24]
¶ Joe Kent Accepted A Total Of $1,375 In Donations From two Individuals who were Convicted On Charges Related To The January 6th Riots
HEADLINE: “2 Convicted Jan. 6 Rioters Donated To MAGA Republican Joe Kent” [HuffPost, 3/14/24]
David Charles Rhine, Who Was Sentenced To Four Months In Prison For His Conduct On January 6th, Donated $875 To Help Joe Kent’s Campaign. According to HuffPost, “Last June, David Charles Rhine, an accounting firm owner from Bremerton, Washington, contributed $250 to Kent’s 2024 congressional campaign, as well as $375 to a joint fundraising committee that Kent runs with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). He had previously given $250 to Kent in 2021, when Kent first ran for Congress unsuccessfully. That donation followed the Department of Justice’s conviction of Rhine in April on four misdemeanor charges related to his conduct at the riot. Those charges were: entering or remaining in a restricted federal building; disorderly conduct in a restricted federal building; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and demonstrating in a Capitol building. Rhine, who was carrying two pocketknives and pepper spray when he entered the Capitol, was sentenced to four months in prison in September.” [HuffPost, 3/14/24]
¶ Kent Accepted Donation From Convicted January 6th Attendee Who Suggested Killing Mike Pence On Social Media
February 2022: Alexander Sheppard, Who Was Sentenced To 19 Months In Prison For His Conduct On January 6th, Donated $500 To Kent’s Campaign. According to HuffPost, “In addition, Alexander Sheppard, a resident of Powell, Ohio, just outside Columbus, contributed $500 to Kent in February 2022. The DOJ convicted Sheppard, one of the first rioters to enter the Capitol, on five criminal counts in January 2023, including a felony for obstructing an official proceeding. In September, Sheppard was sentenced to 19 months in prison. Sheppard entered the Capitol through a smashed window, crossed multiple police lines aimed at stopping the mob’s advance, and yelled at officers guarding the speaker’s lobby just outside the House chamber, according to the DOJ.” [HuffPost, 3/14/24]
- Sheppard Suggested Killing Mike Pence By Firing Squad On Social Media. According to HuffPost, “‘I’m here with some goddamn heroes, and we just shut down Congress!’ he recorded himself saying in a video at the time. ‘They called an emergency session, they said we’re too scared, they’ve shut down Congress. Let’s fucking go!’ Three days later, according to the DOJ, Sheppard wrote a message about the then vice president on social media, saying that ‘[w]e shouldn’t hang Mike Pence. Firing squad!’” [HuffPost, 3/14/24]
¶ 2022: Kent Refused To Return Donations He Received From An Alleged January 6th Rioter Because The Person In Question Had Yet To Be Convicted
During The 2022 Election Cycle, Kent Wouldn’t Return Donations From An Alleged January Sixth Rioter Because They Had Not Yet Been Convicted. According to HuffPost, “In late January, HuffPost reported that during the 2022 election cycle, Kent had received $8,600 in donations from Carlos Ayala, an alleged Jan. 6 rioter. His campaign told HuffPost that it would not return Ayala’s donations, because Kent respected his right to due process. “Mr. Ayala is innocent until proven guilty,” said Erin Van Natta, a Kent campaign spokesperson. [HuffPost, 3/14/24]
¶ 2022: Kent Cast Doubt Over the Election Integrity Of His Own Race
HEADLINE: “Joe Kent Claims Washington Election Process Features ‘Funny Business” [KOIN 6, 10/25/22]
- Kent Urged Voters To Hold Onto Their Ballots Until Election Day To Avoid “Funny Business.” According to a Joe Kent town hall, "JOE KENT: However, if you're like a lot of us, you have concerns about the way that we vote here in Washington State. Ballots got mailed out on Friday. We're going to vote now for like three weeks. It's going to take a while to count the ballots. Yeah, it's not a perfect system. Please get with Brett. He can explain to you exactly all the details as to why holding on to your ballot until the last day is one of the surest ways to ensure that if there were to be any funny business, if there were to be funny business, they would have the least amount of time to do said funny business end. If you turn in your ballot on game day, Brett can give you a great rundown on the way the machine is scanning the ballot and all the different ones and zeros there. But the bottom line is , if you're concerned about election integrity , like so many of us are . Join me if you live here in Clark County. Join me on November 8th . I'll be hand-delivering my ballot at the county auditor's office on November 8th." [Joe Kent Town Tall, Vancouver WA, 10/23/22] (video) 00:35:55
November 2022: Kent Suggested Ballot Counting Was Taking A Long Time Because The Election Officials Were Up To No Good. According to KUOW, “Kent said he would accept the results, even though he falsely claims without evidence that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. But now he's spreading election conspiracy theories about his own race. Kent went on the ‘War Room’ podcast Thursday with former Trump advisor and conspiracy theorist Steve Bannon, who asked why the ballot count is taking so long in the race. Kent claimed without evidence that it's because election officials are up to no good. ‘Best case, they're just trying to demoralize us. Worst case, there's some sleight of hand going on behind the scenes,’ Kent said.” [KUOW, 11/10/22]
- Kent Suggested Ballot Counting Was Taking A Long Time In WA-03 Either Because They Were Engaged In “Psychological Warfare” Or Because “Some Sleight Of Hand [Was] Going On Behind The Scenes.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave on Bannon War Room, STEVE BANNON: Now, I understand you're a warrior and your people are warriors. And we've just got to be tougher than the other side because it's all psychological warfare right now. Am I wrong in that, Joe? Are they trying to break the spirit of you and your movement out there in Washington three? JOE KENT "And that's exactly, I think best case scenario. That's exactly it, that it's psychological warfare. I mean, worst case, it's just again, it's not a transparent process. I mean, when they disappear behind closed doors and they won't tell us how many ballots were sent out in the first place, and then they just drip drip this information that comes out. I mean, it just doesn't give any of us any kind of confidence in the fact that all these unsolicited mail-out ballots got sent out, that when you use closed code tabulation, the information is going to get leaked out slowly throughout the course of an entire week. So, yeah, I mean, best case, they're just trying to demoralize us. Worst case, there's some sleight of hand going on behind the scenes." [Bannon War Room, 11/9/22] (video)
¶ kent claimed the intelligence community worked to “undermine a duly elected president” and that was the “true insurrection”
Kent Claimed The “Democratic Political Apparatus” Worked With The Intelligence Community To “Undermine A Duly Elected President,” Which Was The “True Insurrection.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, "Raskin should never hold a security clearance again & should be impeached for using his clearance & position to lie about Russian collusion. The Democrat political apparatus working w/the intel community to undermine a duly elected president is a true insurrection." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 8/30/23]
¶ Kent Accepted Campaign Contributions From Project 2025 Authors
¶ 2022-2023: Kent Accepted $700 From Project 2025 Associate Director Spencer Chretien
February 2022-October 2023: Kent Reported Accepting $700 In Campaign Contributions From Spencer Chretien.
| RECIPIENT | CONTRIBUTOR | CITY/STATE | EMPLOYER | DATE | AMOUNT |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Spencer Chretien | McLean, VA | FreedomWorks | 10/31/2023 | $100.00 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Spencer Chretien | McLean, VA | FreedomWorks | 10/31/2023 | $100.00 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Spencer Chretien | Arlington, VA | Heritage Foundation | 9/7/2022 | $250.00 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Spencer Chretien | McLean, VA | FreedomWorks | 2/5/2022 | $250.00 |
[Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, Year-End Report, Filed 1/31/24; Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, October Quarterly Report, Filed 9/30/22; Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, April Quarterly Report, Filed 4/15/22]
- Spencer Chretien Was The Associate Director Of Project 2025. According to the Heritage Foundation, “Spencer Chretien serves as Associate Director of Heritage’s 2025 Presidential Transition Project, supporting each pillar of the project’s work.” [Heritage Foundation, Viewed 8/15/24]
- Chretien Was A Special Assistant To The President And Associate Director Of Presidential Personnel In The Trump Administration. According to the Club for Growth Foundation, “Spencer Chretien has spent his entire career in the conservative movement and served in the Trump administration as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of Presidential Personnel. He also worked in the Office of Secretary Ben Carson at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Currently, he serves as Associate Director of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, which is organized by The Heritage Foundation and helps prepare for the conservative administration that will take office in 2025.” [Club For Growth Foundation, Viewed 8/15/24]
- Spencer Chretien Was The Director Of Programs At FreedomWorks. According to Hillsdale College, "Spencer Chretien is Director of Programs at FreedomWorks, a conservative advocacy organization that breaks down barriers between beltway insiders and grassroots America. From 2020-2021, he served as a Special Assistant to President Donald J. Trump and Associate Director of Presidential Personnel, identifying strong leaders for key positions in the Trump administration." [Hillsdale College, Spence Chretien, Viewed 9/25/24]
¶ 2022-2023: Kent Accepted $2,000 From Project 2025 Author Christopher Miller, Former Trump Acting Secretary Of Defense
February 2022-March 2023: Kent Accepted $2,000 From Christopher Miller.
| RECIPIENT | CONTRIBUTOR | CITY/STATE | EMPLOYER | DATE | AMOUNT |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Christopher Miller | Burke, VA | n/a | 3/21/2023 | $1,000.00 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Christopher Miller | Burke, VA | n/a | 2/13/2022 | $1,000.00 |
[Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, April Quarterly Report, Filed 4/15/23; Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, April Quarterly Report, Filed 4/15/22]
- Christopher Miller Served As The Acting Secretary Of Defense Under Former President Trump And Resided In Virginia. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, “Mr. Christopher C. Miller served as the Acting Secretary of Defense, from Nov. 9, 2020, until Jan. 20, 2021. […] Mr. Miller lives in Virginia with his wife.” [U.S. Department of Defense, Biographies, Christopher Miller, Viewed 8/16/24]
- Christopher Miller Wrote The Project 2025 Section On The Department Of Defense. According to Project 2025,
[Project 2025, Table of Contents, Viewed 8/16/24]
- Christopher Miller Listed His Address As 5808 New England Woods Drive In Burke, Virginia. According to Joe Kent’s April 2023 Quarterly campaign finance report,
[Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, April Quarterly Report, Filed 4/15/23]
- 5808 New England Woods Dr. Was Owned By Christopher C. Miller And Kathryn M. Miller. According to Fairfax County property records search,
[Fairfax County Property Records, 5808 New England Woods Dr., Viewed 9/6/24]
- Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Christopher Miller’s Wife’s Name Was Kathryn. According to The Intercept,
[The Intercept, 3/11/23]
¶ Kent Reposted A Tweet That Defended Christopher Miller In Response To A Tweet From The Biden Campaign That Highlighted Miller’s Role As A Project 2025 Author
In Response To A Tweet Identifying Christopher Miller As Trump’s Acting U.S. Secretary Of Defense And An Author Of Project 2025, Kent Reposted A Tweet In Defense Of Miller Claiming “Chris Is A Great American.” According to post Joe Kent retweeted from Joshua Steinman’s Twitter,
[Twitter, Joshua Steinman, 7/10/24]
¶ 2022: Kent Accepted $5,800 From Project 2025 Author Robert Bowes, Former Senior Advisor To The Assistant Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development In The Trump Administration
February 2022: Kent Accepted Two Contributions Of $2,900 From Robert Bowes.
| RECIPIENT | CONTRIBUTOR | CITY/STATE | EMPLOYER | DATE | AMOUNT |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Robert B. Bowes | Arlington, VA | Retired | 2/18/2022 | $2,900.00 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Robert B. Bowes | Arlington, VA | Retired | 2/18/2022 | $2,900.00 |
[Federal Election Commission, Joe Kent for Congress, April Quarterly Report, Filed 4/15/22]
- Robert Bowes Was A Former Trump Appointee. According to Reuters, "Robert Bowes, a former Trump appointee who has worked with the conservative Heritage Foundation, has called for the abolition, opens new tab of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – created by the Dodd-Frank Act to police the lending industry at the federal level – and referred to the Securities and Exchange Commission as an ‘unaccountable meddling shakedown agency’ that ‘uses its regulation to target political enemies, to ram through woke and radical green agenda.’" [Reuters, 4/12/24]
- Bowes Wrote Project 2025’s Section On The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. According to Project 2025,
[Project 2025, Table of Contents, Viewed 8/19/24]
¶ Joe Kent Aligned Himself With Some Of The Most Controversial House Republicans
¶ Kent Maintained A Close Political Relationship With Matt Gaetz
HEADLINE: “Joe Kent Rides Waves Of Endorsements At Rally With Matt Gaetz” [Reflector, 9/7/21]
2021: Matt Gaetz Endorsed Joe Kent. According to the Reflector, “Now, the first-time candidate enjoys endorsements from Gaetz, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, former Washington gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp and, most significantly, former president Trump.” [Reflector, 9/7/21]
June 2023: Gaetz And Kent Hosted A Gala Together In Support Of Former Washington Gubernatorial Candidate. According to the Tri-City Herald, “Bird's campaign announced earlier this month that they would auction off seats at a private gala hosted by failed Washington state congressional candidate Joe Kent and attended by Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.” [Tri-City Herald, 6/21/23]
2021-2023: Matt Gaetz’s Campaign Gave $6,000 To Kent’s Campaign
| RECIPIENT | CONTRIBUTOR | CITY/STATE | DATE | AMOUNT |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Friends of Matt Gaetz | Mary Esther, FL | 2/7/23 | $2,000 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Friends of Matt Gaetz | Mary Esther, FL | 8/31/21 | $2,000 |
| Joe Kent for Congress | Friends of Matt Gaetz | Mary Esther, FL | 8/31/21 | $2,000 |
| TOTAL | $6,000.00 |
[FEC, Joe Kent for Congress, Receipts, Viewed 7/16/24]
2023: Kent And Matt Gaetz Formed A Joint Fundraising Committee Together. According to a filing with the FEC,
[FEC, Gaetz Kent Joint Victory Committee, Filed 4/25/23]
¶ 2024: House Ethics Report Found Matt Gaetz Paid Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars For Sex And Drugs, Including To A 17-Year-Old Girl
HEADLINE: "House Ethics Report Finds Evidence Matt Gaetz Paid Thousands For Sex And Drugs Including Paying A 17-Year-Old For Sex In 2017" [CNN, 12/23/24]
The House Ethics Committee Found Matt Gaetz Paid Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars To Women For Sex Or Drugs On At Least 20 Occasions, Paid A 17-Year-Old Girl For Sex In 2017, And Violated Flrodia’s Statutory Rape Law. According to CNN, "The House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to the panel’s report on the Florida Republican released Monday. The committee concluded in its bombshell document that Gaetz violated Florida state laws, including the state’s statutory rape law, as the GOP-led panel chose to take the rare step of releasing a report about a former member who resigned from Congress." [CNN, 12/23/24]
¶ Kent Campaigned With Marjorie Taylor Greene and defended her against an effort to remove her from the ballot over her role in january 6th
2022: Seattle Times Reported Joe Kent Campaigned With Marjorie Taylor Greene. According to the Seattle Times, “Such talk might garner Kent national attention as a flamethrower like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz — both of whom Kent has campaigned with — but McDonald said it’s not a recipe for addressing local concerns, such as replacing the Interstate 5 bridge between Vancouver, Wash., and Portland.” [Seattle Times, 10/11/22]
April 2021: Kent Spoke At A Rally Headlined By Marjorie Taylor Greene. According to the Columbian, “Joe Kent, a Republican running for Southwest Washington’s congressional seat, is speaking at a rally this Saturday headlined by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.” [Columbian, Blog, 4/22/21]
4/22/22: Kent Defended Marjorie Taylor Greene. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “We stand with @RepMTG & @CawthornforNC ! The establishment fears them because they fight for their constituents not the corporate special interest groups who cling to power in DC.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 4/22/22]
- A Group Sought To Remove Marjorie Taylor Greene From The Ballot Because Of Her Role In January 6th. According to NBC News, "Free Speech for People, an election and campaign finance reform organization, had filed a lawsuit on behalf of a group of Georgia voters to kick Greene off the primary ballot, arguing she helped incite the Jan. 6 riot that disrupted the official tallying of the Electoral College votes. They cited the 14th Amendment's prohibition on anyone who engages in insurrection against the U.S. government from running for federal or state office." [NBC News, 5/6/22]
4/22/22: Kent Defended Taylor Greene And Said, “What’s Happening To @RepMTG Will Become The New Normal Until We Strike Back.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “What’s happening to @RepMTG will become the new normal until we strike back. Build our own Perkins Coie, file suits against Maxine Waters & Kamala Harris for their roles in the riots & against Schiff & swalwell for abusing their clearances. Fight like they do. It’s war.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 4/22/22]
¶ 2021: kent aligned himself with paul gosar
2021: Kent Aligned Himself With Paul Gosar, Who Has Ties To White Nationalists. According to the Seattle Times, “Kent has also sought out alliances with other far-right and pro-Trump figures. He has been endorsed by Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar, who has ties to white nationalist activists. He spoke at a rally in April with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, who was stripped of her congressional committee assignments for statements espousing conspiracy theories, including suggestions that high-profile school shootings were faked.” [Seattle Times, 9/1/21]
- HEADLINE: "Rep. Paul Gosar’s Lengthy Ties To White Nationalists, Pro-Nazi Blogger And Far-Right Fringe Received Little Pushback For Years" [CNN, 3/6/22]
- HEADLINE: "GOP Leaders Denounce Greene, Gosar For Speaking At White Nationalist Event" [NBC News, 2/28/22]
¶ Kent Said Abortion Shouldn’t Be Legal In Any Circumstances And Flip-Flopped On His Support For A National Abortion Ban
¶ Joe Kent Compared Abortion To Slavery
HEADLINE: "Washington Republican Softens Stance After Repeatedly Comparing Abortion To Slavery" [Rolling Stone, 6/2/24]
5/4/22: Kent Likened Abortion To Slavery. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Facebook, “These ghouls took pleasure in shutting down our businesses, muzzling our children & forcing us to take a vaccine or lose our jobs - they are now outraged that the federal government will allow us to vote on wether or not we should murder babies. Evil exists. Someday our nation will view the horrors of abortion like we do slavery. The fight is good versus evil. The left celebrates the slaughter of infants, there’s no compromising with them, they only respect & respond to power. When we take power back we cannot play business as usual with them, they are at war with us & humanity - time for us to fight back.” [Facebook, Joe Kent, 5/4/22]
Kent Believed Americans Would Look At Guaranteeing The Right To Abortion In Horror And Disbelief, The Same Way Americans Look At The United States’ History Of Slavery. According to Rolling Stone, “From there, [Kent] went on to compare legal abortion to American slavery: ‘I remember learning about slavery and learning about segregation and being amazed that there was a time in my parents’ life, who aren’t that much older, that segregation was a very real thing. I was like, ‘Man, that’s crazy that that happened in their lifetime.’ And then looking back two lifetimes from that, we had slavery. And I’m like, ‘Man, that’s insane — that my grandparents, their great grandparents, they grew up then.’ I think there’s going to be a time in our lives when we’re in our 60s or 70s where our kids come up to us, and they’re gonna be like, ‘So, it was OK with everybody that you could just go kill babies?’ I think that that’s coming very soon. I think abortion is absolutely evil in the way that it’s gone on.” [Rolling Stone, 6/2/24]
¶ Kent opposed abortion in all circumstances
2022: Asked In What Circumstances Abortion Should Be Legal, Kent Replied “None.” According to iVoterGuide, “QUESTION: Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed? KENT: None, no crime justifies killing an innocent unborn child.” [iVoterGuide, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24]
- 2022: Kent Said He Would Shut The Government Down If A Bill He Was Voting On Sought To Appropriate Funding To Abortion Providers. According to iVoterGuide, “QUESTION: Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants). KENT: Strongly Agree. I will never vote for a piece of legislation that appropriates funding to abortion providers, even if it means shutting down the federal government.” [iVoterGuide, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24]
- AFA Action Said They Were “Dedicated To Advancing Biblical, Family Values In Society And Government By Educating And Influencing Public Policy.” According to AFA Action’s website, "AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical, family values in society and government by educating and influencing public policy. AFA Action is also the Governmental Affairs Affiliate of American Family Association." [AFA Action, Viewed 7/10/24]
Kent Said If A Person Became Pregnant As A Result Of Rape Or Incest They Should Be Given Resources To See Their Pregnancy Through And Make Adoption Easier If That Was Their Preferred Path. According to the Columbian, "Like Perez alluded to in her video, Kent has anti-abortion beliefs. He previously told The Columbian he was ecstatic that Roe v. Wade was handed back to the states and supported components in Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham’s proposed federal abortion ban bill. That legislation would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with rare exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother. Kent said if a person becomes pregnant because of rape or incest, they should be given resources to see their pregnancy through and make adoption easier if that is their preferred path. If a mother’s health is at risk and an abortion is needed to save her life, it is permissible in Kent’s eyes — but he doesn’t view it as an abortion, rather a ‘triage.’” [The Columbian, 10/7/22]
Kent Said He Believed Life Began At Conception And Prayed For An End To Abortion. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “Miller: Let’s turn to another issue. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, it’s your turn to take this first. How would you approach abortion rights as a member of Congress? Kent: So Roe v. Wade was just overturned. It’s back at the state level. The Supreme Court has ruled that this is no longer a federal issue. Now look, it’s no mystery. I’m pro-life. I believe life begins at conception. I pray for an end to an abortion. I pray that abortion ends every day.” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/27/22]
¶ 2024: kent reversed his position on a national abortion ban
¶ 2021-2022: Kent Said He Would Move To Have A National Ban On Abortion And Said Republicans Needed To Walk The Walk On Upholding Abortion Bans
2021: Kent Said He Would “Absolutely” Support A Constitutional Amendment To Ban Abortion. According to an interview Kent gave with 21 Studios, "QUESTION: Would you support a constitutional amendment to ban abortion? KENT: Yeah, absolutely, of course." [21 Studios, Interview with Joe Kent, 7/29/21] (video)
July 2022: Kent Said “I Would Move To Have A National Ban On Abortions.” According to an interview on KGW News, “ANCHOR: “Do you support the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, a woman’s right to have an abortion? KENT: Yes, I 100% support Roe versus Wade being overturned. I would move to have a national ban on abortions. I believe life begins at conception. I think we have to have a pro-life culture in our country that takes care of women who are pregnant who might not necessarily want the baby.” [KGW News, Straight Talk, 7/28/22] (video) 00:15:40
- 2022: Kent Said Republicans Need To Walk The Walk On Upholding Abortion Bans. According to the Columbian, “Moving forward, Republicans need to reposition their messaging for them to ‘walk the walk’ in upholding abortion bans, Kent said. He suggested that Republicans should focus on providing federal and state assistance to crisis pregnancy centers for people to seek care. ‘For far too long, I think Republicans never really had to step up to the plate of the abortion issue. They could just say 'Yeah I'm pro-life,' or they knew that it was a good bumper sticker for a fundraiser,’ he said. ‘I think that's incumbent upon our messaging. Not just saying, 'You can't kill babies anymore.' That doesn't work.’” [The Columbian, 10/7/22]
Kent In 2021: “I Don’t Think You Should Be Able To Get An Abortion.” According to an interview Kent gave to Tara Dublin, “KENT: Are you talking specifically about abortion? You’re jumping all around here. DUBLIN: I’m not really, I’m trying to draw that direct corollary. Because, Republicans’ stances, big government should only do certain things, but then you’re micromanaging womens’ healthcare. At the same time you’re trying to micromanage mask and vaccine and all of that, but it’s all connected because it’s all connected through healthcare. So if your position is that vaccines should not be mandated, masks should not be mandated, then why should the government mandate anything that goes on inside my body when it would never mandate anything that goes on inside of your? KENT: I don’t think they should. DUBLIN: So you believe in a womans’ right to choose? KENT: Now we’re on abortion. So, no, I don’t think you should be able to get an abortion. DUBLIN: Why? KENT: Because that’s not your body. DUBLIN: Yes it is, it’s inside my body. KENT: It has a heartbeat, it’s a child.” [Tara Dublin Interview with Joe Kent via YouTube, 9/10/21] (video)
¶ 2022: Kent Suggested He Would Vote For A 15-Week Abortion Ban If It Came To The Floor In The House
In Response To A Question Asking If Kent Would Support Lindsey Graham’s 15-Week Abortion Ban Legislation, Kent Replied, “I Am Always Gonna Vote For Life.” According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “MODERATOR: Last month, Lindsey Graham introduced a bill that would ban abortion at 15 weeks. That was in the Senate. Would you vote for that ban if it were in the house? KENT: I think it’s a waste of time because the Supreme Court is just going to rebuke us. Now, if I’m put on the record and that bill makes it to the floor, I am always gonna vote for life. I am pro-life, 100 percent, like that’s it. But, at the end of the day, it would mostly be performative.” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/27/22]
¶ 2024: Kent Claimed He Opposed A National Abortion Ban And Abortion Policy Should Be Left To Individual States
1/22/24: Kent Tweeted “I Don’t Support A National Ban On Abortion.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “Post Dobbs decision it’s a state issue. I don’t support a national ban on abortion. I’m focused on federal issues like securing our border so our neighbors stop getting killed by fentanyl.”
[Twitter, Joe Kent, 1/22/24]
September 2024: Kent Made A Direct-To-Camera Video Where He Claimed He Opposed Federal Legislation On The Issue Of Abortion And Agreed With The Supreme Court’s Decision To Overturn Roe V. Wade. According to a video post on Joe Kent’s congressional campaign YouTube page, JOE KENT: Abortion is a divisive issue and I want you to hear it directly from me where I stand. I agree with the Supreme Court that made it a state matter and I oppose any new federal legislation on the issue. What I do support are ways to bring the cost of raising children down, like expanding the child tax deduction for working families and tax exemption on necessities like diapers and formula. That’s what I believe and those are the priorities I will bring to Congress.” [Joe Kent for Congress Ad, 9/12/24] (video)
¶ Kent Flip-Flopped His Social Security Position After Saying In 2022 He Wanted To Raise The Social Security Retirement Age
¶ 2024: kent claimed he opposed any cuts to social security, medicare, or medicaid
January 2024: Kent Claimed He Was Against Any Cuts To Social Security, Medicare, And Medicaid. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “I’m against any cuts to social security, Medicare/cade. Marie’s spending will make SS/MC etc insolvent before we have to time to plan. Fiscal responsibility is a must & safe guarding the programs ppl have earned is step 1.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 1/29/24]
¶ 2022: Kent said he wanted to raise the social security retirement age and advocated for privatizing it
Kent’s 2022 Campaign Website Said We Must Raise “The Age That Citizens Receive Social Security.” According to archived 2022 Joe Kent campaign website, “We must balance our budget, end needless spending, and dramatically change entitlement spending by raising the age that citizens receive social security.” [Joe Kent for Congress, Viewed 5/17/24 via archive.org]
- Kent Claimed He Wanted To Adjust Social Security Benefits Only For Younger Individuals. According to Factcheck.org, “Kent’s campaign website used to say he would ‘change entitlement spending by raising the age that citizens receive social security,’ but he has since clarified that he supports modifying the Social Security program for younger individuals, not older people ‘who are retired or near retirement.’ He also said he agreed with a proposal to allow younger people to invest their own money in ‘individual retirement accounts’ instead of the ‘government system,’ while still paying some Social Security taxes to support current beneficiaries and those close to collecting benefits.” [Factcheck.org, 7/26/22]
- Kent Claimed He Would Not Touch Benefits For People Approaching Retirement Age, But Would “Introduce Options For Young Workers.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Facebook page, “Social security will be insolvent in 10 years if we don’t act now, Herrera Beutler offers no solutions & allows illegals to receive benefits. For those at or approaching retirement age I will not touch your benefits & I’ll introduce options for young workers.” [Facebook, Joe Kent, 7/14/22] (video)
2022: Kent Advocated For Privatizing Social Security. According to an interview Kent gave on the Lars Larson Show, "HOST: You're still going to have to pay some Social Security taxes to support the existing system. Or, you're going to have your own retirement account and you own it, you know, within the requirements of the same, similar to 401k. That's where we really should go, isn't it? KENT: I completely agree, privatize it. I mean, that's why I advocate for the individual retirement accounts that are high interest tax free. Can really incentivize those younger workers, guys my age and younger women and men younger to put that their own money into that program that gives them more control and also benefits the market. And we let the free market take control of that as opposed to everybody just paying into this government system. And as we know, when we send the federal government money, it doesn't go into the individual account for Social Security, for the individual, it goes into the government slush fund and then they spend it. And that's why we're in this situation that we're in right now." [The Lars Larson Show, 7/15/22] (audio) 00:06:45-00:07:30
¶ Kent Embraced COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Theories And Rebuked Public Health Experts
JOE KENT REPEATEDLY SPREAD VACCINE CONSPIRACY THEORIES
¶ Kent Opposed The COVID-19 Vaccine And Called It “Experimental Gene Therapy”
Kent Criticized COVID-19 Health Protocols And Called The Vaccine “Experimental Gene Therapy.” According to the Chronicle, “Throughout the pandemic, Kent has criticized leaders who imposed COVID-19 mandates, whom he regularly calls tyrants. His stance remained unaffected, which he expanded upon by doubling down on his doubt of the vaccine and vehement rejection of mandating vaccinations. ‘The COVID-19 vaccine is an experimental gene therapy,’ Kent said. ‘We also need the federal government to release the vaccine reaction database that they're suppressing right now.’” [The Chronicle, 9/28/22]
- February 2022: Kent Said He Did Not Get The COVID-19 Vaccine. According to the Independent, “Having launched his campaign last year and received Trump’s endorsement in September, Kent, who says he is not vaccinated against Covid-19 – he says he caught the illness early on – and opposes vaccine mandates, is speaking to voters across the district.” [Independent, 2/7/22]
¶ Kent Compared The Use Of The Covid-19 Vaccine To Combat Spread Of The Disease To The United States’ Involvement In The Iraq War
Kent: “We Were Told COVID Had To Be Stopped Via A Vax, Now That’s Unraveling Just Like Our Debacle In Iraq.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “We were told COVID had to be stopped via a vax, now that’s unraveling just like our debacle in Iraq. Once big pharma / mil indust comp make their $ the machine justifies the shift.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 12/27/21]
¶ Kent Led A Rally To Protest A Fake Covid-19 Mandate Regarding Unvaccinated Individuals
January 2022: Kent Organized A Rally Against “COVID Tyranny” And A Fake “Forced Quarantine” Conspiracy. According to the Seattle Times, “The state Board of Health, they claimed, was about to authorize local health officials and police to round up people for refusing to get coronavirus vaccines and forcibly lock them up in quarantine facilities. It wasn’t true. There was no such plan […] The rally was led by Joe Kent, the Donald Trump-endorsed candidate seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler in Southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. Kent hyped the rally against ‘COVID tyranny’ and ‘forced quarantine’ on Twitter to his 125,000 followers, with an image of a woman locked in a room with bars on the windows. He also appeared on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s popular ‘War Room’ podcast this week to promote the event. [Seattle Times, 1/12/22]
¶ Kent Claimed Dr. Fauci Should Have Been Charged With Murder for his efforts to keep americans safe during the covid-19 pandemic
Kent Claimed Former CDC Director Dr. Fauci Should Have Been Charged With Murder And Called COVID-19 A “Scam.” According to the column from Michelle Goldberg in the New York Times, “On the stump, in addition to listing all of those people he would impeach, Kent promised to hold Anthony Fauci ‘accountable’ for the ‘scam that is Covid.’ I asked him what holding Fauci accountable means. ‘Criminal charges,’ said Kent. But what charges, I asked? ‘Murder,’ he replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.” [Michelle Goldberg Column – New York Times, 9/24/22]
¶ Kent Advocated For Repealing The Affordable Care Act And Stopping The Federal Government From Regulating Health Care
¶ 2023: kent said it was “absolutely essential” that the affordable care act be repealed
December 2023: Kent Said It Was “Absolutely Essential” That Congress Repeal The Affordable Care Act. According to a live video Kent posted on his Twitter account, "KENT: So, Trump’s been talking a lot about getting rid of Obamacare. Obamacare, I think this top-down health care plan, absolutely nonsense. We need to make sure that when we do repeal Obamacare that people are able to quickly transition onto a health care plan, that no one’s left out in the cold, no one’s left exposed. I think allowing more competition on the health care market is the way to go. Allow people to buy health care, telehealth insurance and health care across state lines. Don’t have it tied to your employer. That’s going to flood the market, really, with more people competing for your dollar. I think individual tax-free savings accounts that you use specifically for health care, I think that’s another great idea as well, it’s going to allow people to have more money in their pocket that can’t be taxed, that they can use for health care and that’s again, it’s going to create more competition for your dollar. I think that’s absolutely essential. There’s a lot more details you could get into, but repealing Obamacare, I think is absolutely essential. If you talk to any small business owner, what Obamacare did to them, the way that it took away their ability to get the best health care for their employees, and the fact they had to buy health care from pretty much everybody. A lot of this too led to the destruction of your traditional economy where people work for a company. It brought in a lot more individual contractors because employers didn’t want to pay for healthcare etc." [Twitter, Joe Kent, 12/1/23] (video) 00:32:17
¶ Kent: “The last thing the federal government should do is get involved in health care”
Kent Advocated For Deregulating Health Care And Said “The Last Thing The Federal Government Should Do Is Get Involved In Healthcare.” According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Miller: What’s your theory for what the government could or should do to provide more companies that are offering their services, their health care services or health insurance? What should the government do to create competition? Kent: The government should deregulate. The last thing the federal government should do is get involved in healthcare. Do you remember the last time the Democrats, Obama and Biden tried to run our healthcare, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. And then we had 11-month wait lists for people to get care they needed like care for cancer. So we need a lot of deregulation. We need to open up the market for competition. So the last thing we need is more Democrats trying to run healthcare from the federal level.” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/27/22]
- Kent: “The Last Thing I Want Is The Federal Government Being Involved In The Nitty Gritty Details Of Healthcare For Individuals." According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Miller: Do either of you – Joe Kent you can go first – support a single payer option? You can call it Medicare for all if you want, you can call it anything you want. But a government version of basic healthcare that would be available to compete with the private sector? Kent: Not from the federal government. No. If the states want to handle that individually, I think that’d be a good thing for states to do. But from the federal level. Every time Washington DC has gotten involved in our healthcare, the healthcare of individuals, they have messed it up. Obamacare is case in point. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. I support some form of a social network, a social fallback system for people to have. I don’t want anyone to, you know, not get the healthcare that they need. So I think some sort of a program where funding is provided the same way. We don’t have any starving to death in America, but we also don’t have deliveries of government food going to people’s houses. People get an EBT card that access dollars and then they compete on the market and they have companies competing for their EBT dollars. So something similar to that when we provide the basic funding to be introduced into the market. So the individual consumer has the option. But the last thing I want is the federal government being involved in the nitty gritty details of healthcare for individuals." [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/27/22]
Kent: “We Should Deregulate Health Care, Allow For More Competition In The Market, Make Medical Expenses Tax-Deductible And Allow Individuals To Purchase Insurance Across State Lines.” According to Joe Kent’s 2022 campaign website, “Government involvement in health care has driven the cost up. We should deregulate health care, allow for more competition in the market, make medical expenses tax-deductible and allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines. We also need to remove the high-deductible insurance policy requirement to access Health Savings Accounts.” [Joe Kent For Congress, Viewed 5/20/24, via archive.org]
Kent: “I Don’t Want The Federal Government To Regulate Anything As Far As People Having To Have This Insurance Or That Insurance.” According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “From the federal perspective, I don’t want the federal government to regulate anything as far as people having to have this insurance or that insurance. I mean, the Supreme Court struck down the individual mandate. Obamacare just trying to do one size fits all top down, that’s the problem. The reason why healthcare costs are so expensive is because major pharmaceutical companies and a handful of conglomerates, only a few, they’re the ones controlling the prices. We need individual private insurance companies and healthcare companies that are competing on the market because we the consumer, we succeed when businesses are competing for our dollar. That’s what we need to introduce into the healthcare system.” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/27/22]
¶ Kent Pushed To Stop The Federal Government From Regulating Health Care Except When It Came To Medicare, Medicaid, And VA Care, Which He Called “Different” – Kent Said He Relied On The VA
Pushed On His Support For Deregulating Health Care, Kent Claimed Medicare, Medicaid, And The VA Were Different And Said He Got His Health Care From The VA. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Kent: So the individual consumer has the option. But the last thing I want is the federal government being involved in the nitty gritty details of healthcare for individuals. Miller: I mean what about Medicaid, Medicare, VA care? Kent: Those are different. There are several programs, but as far as like for those are . . . Miller: But those are examples of what you’re talking about right now. Would you support those programs? Kent: Of course. I mean I get my healthcare from the VA." [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/27/22]
¶ Kent Suggested He Agreed With The White Nationalist “Great Replacement Theory” And Said He Supported Mass Deportations
¶ Kent Responded “Yeah” When Asked If He Supported Stopping Immigration “Because Of The Demographic Replacement That’s Happening In This Country”
A Fuentes Supporter Asked Kent If He Would Support An Immigration Moratorium Because Of The “Demographic Replacement That’s Happening” And Kent Replied “Yeah.” According to the Chronicle, “James, after first bringing up Fuentes, asked Kent: ‘Do you support a complete shutdown on all immigration for the next 20 years, at the very least, to give people time to assimilate? Because we have these massive enclaves that are forming all across the country where people don't even have the most fundamental form of assimilation, which is language.’ In response, Kent said currently the only form of immigration he supports is through marriage, because it leads to the formation of more families. James then pushed the question again, saying, ‘So a complete shutdown on all immigration for the next 20 years, at the very least. Right?’ Kent responded: ‘Yep. That’s one of the best ways to keep a tight labor market in favor of American workers.’ James replied: ‘Well, not only because of labor, because of the demographic replacement that's happening in this country as well, right?’ Kent responded: ‘Yeah.’” [Chronicle, 3/11/22]
¶ When Talking About Deporting Economic Migrants, Kent Claimed The United States Needed To “Cull The Herd” And Said The U.S. Was Good At “Hunting Down Humans” Because Of The War On Terror
Kent: “I Think We Need To Really Cull The Herd, Get The Economic Migrants Out Of Here And Then Focus Our Law Enforcement Resources On The People Who Are Not Self-Deporting.” According to Crosscut, "At a recent town hall event in Castle Rock, Kent laid out a plan to send the military down to ‘seal’ the border, build a wall, and make it impossible for undocumented immigrants to work or receive government benefits in hopes that they will leave voluntarily. ‘I think we need to really cull the herd, get the economic migrants out of here and then focus our law enforcement resources on the people who are not self-deporting,’ Kent said. ‘We're actually pretty good at hunting down humans, we got fairly proficient at that in the war on terror.’" [Crosscut, 8/2/24]
Kent On Deporting Undocumented Immigrants: “We're Actually Pretty Good At Hunting Down Humans, We Got Fairly Proficient At That In The War On Terror.” According to Crosscut, "At a recent town hall event in Castle Rock, Kent laid out a plan to send the military down to ‘seal’ the border, build a wall, and make it impossible for undocumented immigrants to work or receive government benefits in hopes that they will leave voluntarily. ‘I think we need to really cull the herd, get the economic migrants out of here and then focus our law enforcement resources on the people who are not self-deporting,’ Kent said. ‘We're actually pretty good at hunting down humans, we got fairly proficient at that in the war on terror.’" [Crosscut, 8/2/24]
¶ Kent Supported An Immigration Moratorium In Part Because Of His Belief That Immigrants “Don’t Agree With Our Cultural Values”
Kent: “We Can’t Be Bringing In Massive Amounts Of People Either Legally Or Illegally That Really Don’t Agree With Our Cultural Values. Again, That’s Why I Do Support An Immigration Moratorium.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave the American Populist Union, “KENT: We can’t be bringing in massive amounts of people either legally or illegally that really don’t agree with our cultural values. Again, that’s why I do support an immigration moratorium.” [American Populist Union, 3/7/22 via archive.org] (video) 00:12:04
- Kent: “I Think We Have To Recognize That America Has A Unique Judeo-Christian Culture. We’re The Only Country, We’re The Only Nation In The World That Recognizes That Our Rights Are Inherent And They Come From God, Not From The Government." According to an interview Joe Kent gave the American Populist Union, "QUESTION: What would say the effects of mass legal immigration is on the cultural America? I mean, what is the cultural America too, what is that to you? KENT: The cultural America, I mean it’s acknowledging our history. For all the good that our history has done. Our Judeo-Christian roots I think are absolutely essential, I don’t think we can deny that. […] I think tearing down our statues and monuments is a major problem. I think we have to recognize that America has a unique Judeo-Christian culture. We’re the only country, we’re the only nation in the world that recognizes that our rights are inherent and they come from God, not from the government." [American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:12:04
Kent Claimed America Was “Lucky” Compared To Europe Because “Their Version Of Mexico Is Africa And The Middle East, Where There’s Drastic Cultural And Religious Differences.” According to an interview with American Populist Union, “HOST: “We’re talking about demographics here. What are the…I mean, American demographics right now are what 70 percent white, 30 percent minority. I mean, at what point have we lost America? What does that look like to you? KENT: I think it has a lot more to do with who are we bringing in? I think America is very lucky in the fact that like the people to our south, the Hispanic community, most of them are, they're Christians, most of them are Catholic. Right? And so I think that that's why they're so easy to kind of absorb. Again, I don't want to absorb all, I don't want to be one continuous nation. But we're very lucky compared to Europe who their version of Mexico is Africa and the Middle East, where there's drastic cultural and religious differences. So we're fortunate in that place. I don’t know what the current…I don’t know what the ideal ratio is. I would never want to look at it in terms of racial percentages. I would want to keep it very close to the way it is right now. To ensure everybody who is a U.S. citizen is getting their fair shake from our country.” [American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:33:14
- Kent: "I Think America Is Very Lucky In The Fact That Like The People To Our South, The Hispanic Community, Most Of Them Are, They're Christians, Most Of Them Are Catholic. Right? And So I Think That That's Why They're So Easy To Kind Of Absorb." [American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:33:14
Asked What He Thought American Demographics Should Look Like, Kent Said, “I Would Want To Keep It Very Close To The Way It Is Right Now.” According to an interview with American Populist Union, “HOST: “We’re talking about demographics here. What are the…I mean, American demographics right now are what 70 percent white, 30 percent minority. I mean, at what point have we lost America? What does that look like to you? […] KENT: I don’t know what the current…I don’t know what the ideal ratio is. I would never want to look at it in terms of racial percentages. I would want to keep it very close to the way it is right now. To ensure everybody who is a U.S. citizen is getting their fair shake from our country.” [American Populist Union, 3/7/22, via archive.org] (video) 00:33:14
¶ Kent Used “Invasion” Rhetoric To Talk About The U.S. Southern Border
Asked If Video Footage Of The Border Looked Like “An Invasion,” Kent Said “100 Percent” And “This Is An Invasion.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave on Fox News, “JESSE WATTERS: Joe did that video look like an invasion to you? KENT: 100 percent, I mean there’s no other way to see this. This is an invasion.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 3/21/24] (video)
¶ kent called for mass deportations and AN IMMIGRATION MORATORIUM
Kent Called For An Immigration Moratorium For At Least Ten Years And To Ban Work And Student Visas. According to an iVoterGuide survey, “QUESTION: “Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances? KENT: There should be an immigration moratorium for at least ten years. Work and student visas need to be completely banned. In cases where someone has groundbreaking technology or they have assisted Americans in conflicts abroad, we may allow special immigrant visas on a case-by-case basis.” [iVoterGude, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24 via archive.org]
- Kent: “We Need To Stop Importing Workers That Take Away Jobs From American Citizens.” According to the Seattle Times, “They clashed on immigration. Gluesenkamp Perez: “Joe Kent has consistently said he wants to end all immigration for 20 years, that is economic sabotage.” Kent: “We need to stop importing workers that take away jobs from American citizens.” Kent criticized Gluesenkamp Perez for not focusing on energy independence and said she and Democrats would do nothing to secure the Southern border.” [Seattle Times, 9/28/22]
Kent Supported “Mass Deportations” And Deploying U.S. Troops To The Southern Border. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “The focus of federal law enforcement must be mass deportations, deploy our military to secure the border, target cartel leadership & members, impose tariffs on Mexico & South American nations until they stop the flow of migrants.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 5/8/23]
¶ 2022: Kent Said He Only Supported Immigration Through Marriage
A Nick Fuentes Fan Asked Kent If He Would Support An Immigration Moratorium And Kent Replied The Only Form Of Immigration He Supported Was Through Marriage. According to the Chronicle, “James, after first bringing up Fuentes, asked Kent: ‘Do you support a complete shutdown on all immigration for the next 20 years, at the very least, to give people time to assimilate? Because we have these massive enclaves that are forming all across the country where people don't even have the most fundamental form of assimilation, which is language.’ In response, Kent said currently the only form of immigration he supports is through marriage, because it leads to the formation of more families. James then pushed the question again, saying, ‘So a complete shutdown on all immigration for the next 20 years, at the very least. Right?’ Kent responded: ‘Yep. That’s one of the best ways to keep a tight labor market in favor of American workers.’ James replied: ‘Well, not only because of labor, because of the demographic replacement that's happening in this country as well, right?’ Kent responded: ‘Yeah.’” [Chronicle, 3/11/22]
¶ KENT REPEATEDLY SPOUTED IMMIGRATION CONSPIRACY THEORies
¶ Kent Accused Democrats Of “Pumping” People Into The Country To Inflate Census Numbers So They Could Gain More Seats And Power In Government
Kent Claimed Democrats Wanted To “Pump As Many Human Being Into This Country As They Possibly Can” To Earn More Seats In Local, State, And Federal Government Through The Census. According to the Columbian, “Last week, Kent participated in the Take Our Border Back Convoy, a conservative rally in San Ysidro, Calif., protesting illegal immigration at the southern border. In a speech, he accused China, Mexico, the Democrats and the U.S. government of committing an ‘unconventional warfare operation’ against American citizens. ‘(Democrats) want to pump as many human beings into this country as they possibly can,’ he said. ‘They want to put them into major urban areas so they can use them during the Census to count heads, and therefore, they'll be able to get more legislative seats at the state level, the county level and then all the way up into the U.S. House of Representatives. They're going to get these people ballots, either legally or illegally. This is the Democrats' diabolical power play. They don't care about the fentanyl.’ He then accused China of colluding with Mexico to kill Americans with opioids. [Columbian, 2/15/24]
- Kent Claimed That Democrats Plotted To “Flood” The Country With Undocumented Immigrants To Earn More Seats In Congress. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “This is why every Democrat supports open borders. Their goal is to flood our nation w/ illegals, count them in the next census & create new seats in congress. The dems view the carnage caused by open borders as collateral damage in their quest for power.”
[Twitter, Joe Kent, 1/2/24]
¶ Kent Claimed Democrats Were Responsible For A “Deliberate Invasion” So They Could “Import Massive Amounts Of New Voters”
Kent Claimed Democrats Were Responsible For A “Deliberate Invasion” So They Could “Import Massive Amounts Of New Voters.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave on Fox News, “KENT: Biden opened up our border, deliberately. DHS is funding the vast majority of this. Democrats like my opponent, Marie Perez voted 10 months ago to leave this border wide open when House Republicans offered a solution to close down the border and close a lot of loopholes these illegal immigrants are exploiting in order to get access to the country. So this is an invasion, but it is a deliberate invasion that we are paying for. And us paying for this invasion is driving the inflation and driving the crime. It's killing people via fentanyl, but this is the Democrats' plan. They don't care about the carnage, they want to import massive amounts of new voters and they don't care how many of us die along the way.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 3/21/24] (video)
¶ Kent Claimed Undocumented Immigrants Were Taking Jobs From Americans And Depressing Wages
1/11/24: Kent Claimed Undocumented Immigrants Were Taking Jobs From Americans And Depressing Wages. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Facebook, “We must secure our border, but we can’t be tricked into trading a security feature for more economic migrants. Don’t be fooled, the ruling class wants open borders b/c they don’t want to pay Americans a living wage. Legal & illegal immigrants take jobs & depress wages of American workers. Illegal immigration is a security threat & takes jobs from low skilled US workers. Legal economic immigrants like H1B visas or most worker visa, take jobs from skilled US workers.” [Facebook, Joe Kent, 1/11/24]
¶ Kent Advocated For The Return Of Trump-Era Immigration Policies
2021: Kent Advocated For Reinstating The “Remain In Mexico” Policy And No Pathway To Citizenship For Undocumented Immigrants. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “Reinstate the Remain in Mexico Policy. NO pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens. We must put our people first regardless of their gender or race. American Jobs, for American Workers.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 5/22/21] (video)
Kent: “We Must Finish The Wall.” According to an iVoterGuide survey, “QUESTION: The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border. KENT: Strongly Agree. We must finish the wall. The United States should also deploy the military to our southern border and declare the Mexican cartels terrorist organizations. Special Operations units can be used to hunt down and eliminate cartels that are pumping drugs into this country and trafficking innocent children.” [iVoterGude, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24 via archive.org]
¶ Kent Believed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Should Have Been Impeached By Congress
7/13/23: Kent Called For The Impeachment Of President Biden And Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas. According to a post on Joe Kent’s Facebook, “Our broken intel agencies are too busy acting as the democrat party’s secret police to deal w/the fentanyl killing Americans, child trafficking or the CCP. Biden must be impeached for leading this rot along w/ his enablers like Wray, Mayorkas & the 51 spies who lied. The leadership of today’s DOJ, FBI, CIA, DHS & other intel agencies are a disgrace to every intelligence officer & federal agent who gave their life protecting our nation.” [Facebook, Joe Kent, 7/12/23]
Kent Claimed Secretary Mayorkas Violated U.S. Law. According to the archived 2022 Joe Kent campaign website, “Voted Against Impeaching Mayorkas for the Border Crisis. Marie voted against impeaching the DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his role in worsening the border crisis (118th Congress, H. Res. 863). Mayorkas violated U.S. law and opened our border, enabling the cartels to traffic lethal drugs like fentanyl into the U.S. interior.” [Joe Kent for Congress, Viewed 5/21/22 via archive.org]
September 2022: Kent Said He Wanted Impeach Attorney General Merrick Garland And Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. According to Cascade PBS, “A week before their debate, Kent bounded into the room of the Cowlitz County Republican Party office in Kelso, where about 60 people had settled into folding chairs to hear what he had to say. After a quick and jovial salute to the crowd, Kent plunged into his detailed vision of Republican victory. If he gets his way, Kent would shut down the government if President Joe Biden doesn’t start boosting domestic energy production immediately. Kent would use congressional authority to investigate Anthony Fauci over COVID-19, as well as Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, which Kent and others continue to question. He’d impeach Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.” [Cascade PBS, 9/30/22]
¶ Kent Called To Abolish The Department Of Education
¶ joe kent called to get rid of the federal DEPARTMENT of education
5/19/21: Kent Said He Hoped To “Kill Off The Entire Department Of Education.” According to a video posted on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “I would like to make a concerted effort to kill off the entire department of education…I think pushing education down to the lowest level possible is the right answer. It's just a huge bureaucracy that’s been used to indoctrinate children for decades now, in my opinion.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 5/19/21] (video)
Kent: “I'm Against The Federal Department Of Education, But If We Can't Completely Kill The Federal Department Of Education, I Do Want Us To Offensively Use The Education Grants To Make Sure Parents Bare Minimum Have Transparency, But Also To Cut Out A Lot Of The Nonsense That's Being Taught In The Schools.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave to Conservative ladies, “HOST: So there are a number of the issues that we've talked about are really issues that apply to Americans across the nation. Right? Which is why all Americans should, if they haven't yet, they should donate to your campaign. I think it's JoeKentforCongress.com so go drop some money in the campaign because we need Joe in Washington DC but what are some of the specific issues to your district or Washington state that you would like to deal with in Congress. KENT: So I definitely want to get the parental Bill of Rights back up there. I'm against the Federal Department of Education, but if we can't completely kill the federal Department of Education, I do want us to offensively use the education grants to make sure parents bare minimum have transparency, but also to cut out a lot of the nonsense that's being taught in the schools. Like if we're going to give federal education grant money, the only thing it should be used for is to teach kids how to read, write, how their government works, history, those types of things. It shouldn't be for DEI, CRT and all that.” [Conservative Ladies, 7/22/24] (video) 00:15:18-00:16:19
Kent: “I Would Like To Get Rid Of The Federal Department Of Education Altogether.” According to an interview Joe Kent gave with Dawn Houghton, KENT: So us using the power of the purse strings. I would like to get rid of the federal Department of Education altogether. But if we can't do that, I would at least like to put really hard conditions on the federal education grants to make sure that we're not teaching kids, you know, basically indoctrination and that we're also protecting biological women and giving parents transparency.” [Twitter Spaces, Dawn Houghton, 5/29/24] (audio) 00:19:53-00:20:12
¶ Kent Questioned Whether Climate Change Was Caused By Humans
¶ kent seemed to question whether climate change was caused by humans
Kent Seemed To Question Whether Climate Change Was Caused By Humans And Said The U.S. Shouldn’t Be In The Paris Climate Accords. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “QUESTION: What would you do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a member of Congress? […] KENT: Well, we’re going through a heating cycle right now. The question is, is it because of carbon footprint? I don’t think that’s definitive. What we’ve done is we’ve taken this narrative that ‘Hey, this is all because of carbon,’ and we have put ourselves at the mercy of, really, the Chinese Communist Party and other countries, where we say we’re gonna get electric vehicle charging stations. China is one of the worst and egregious polluters there are out there. So, what we need to do is, we need to turn back on U.S. energy. We need to not be involved in any kind of treaty like the Paris Climate Accord or anything coming from the U.N. that cripples our ability to be energy independent. We need to pursue nuclear. We need to pursue everything else. All-of-the-above is 100 percent the way to go, but that starts by turning back on U.S. energy 100 percent, especially our fossil fuels.” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/28/22]
¶ kent suggested he would shut the government down over restarting the keystone xl pipeline
Kent Said He Would Demand That The Keystone XL Pipeline Be Restarted If He Shut The Government Down And Was In Negotiations To Reopen It. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, "MILLER: So play this through. Let’s say that you’re able to threaten to shut down the government and you force Joe Biden’s hand. What are you saying it would take for you to reopen the government, to vote to spend money again? KENT: Unleash U.S. energy turned back on Keystone XL, go back to re-issuing exploratory drilling permits. The actions that Biden took on day one of his administration absolutely killed off on our energy sector. Everybody remembers what energy prices and gas prices were just two years ago as a buck 50 to fill up your gas tank and grocery prices weren’t absolutely exploding. So we need to say to him, hey, you, you’re not going to do this to working." [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 10/28/22]
¶ kent supported hydraulic fracking
Kent Supported Hydraulic Fracking. According to an iVoterGuide survey, “STATEMENT: I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources. KENT: Strongly Agree. We should be producing and extracting as much energy as we can so that we can lower the prices for consumers and become an energy exporter.” [iVoterGuide, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24]
¶ Kent Opposed Ensuring Anti-Discrimination Protections For LGBTQ+ People And Made Disparaging Comments About Transgender Americans
¶ kent opposed ensuring anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity
2022: Kent “Strongly Disagree[d]” That Non-Discrimination Laws Should Apply To Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity And Said They “Have No Place Being Discussed In Classrooms.” According to iVoterGuide, “QUESTION: Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes in non-discrimination laws. KENT: Strongly Disagree. Sexual orientation and gender identity have no place being discussed in classrooms.” [iVoterGuide, Joe Kent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire, Viewed 5/16/24]
Kent: “Everything The Left Is Doing Is Deliberate. Breaking Gender Identities Is Key To Breaking Up Families, Breaking Up Families Is Key To Breeding Government Dependence. This Is A Sick Part Of The Left’s Quest For Control.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “Everything the left is doing is deliberate. Breaking gender identities is key to breaking up families, breaking up families is key to breeding government dependence. This is a sick part of the left’s quest for control.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 4/19/21]
2024: Kent Ran An Ad That Claimed His Opponent Wanted Men To Compete In Women’s Sports And Have Access To Women’s Locker Rooms And Bathroom. According to an ad from the NRCC and Kent’s campaign, “KENT: I’m Joe Kent and I approve this message. LEAH: I’m Leah Walway. I wrestle at Kelso High School and I’m a three-time district champion. My dream is to go to college of an athletic scholarship and become a physical therapist. But for me and every other female athlete that dream is threatened because biological men are allowed to compete against us. It isn’t fair. And Marie Perez voted to allow it. She also supports letting men into our locker rooms and bathrooms, putting our safety at risk. Marie Perez doesn’t deserve our support because she doesn’t support us.” [NRCC and Joe Kent for Congress Ad, 10/24/24] (video)
¶ kent made disparaging comments about service members who sought gender-affirming care
2023: Kent Seemed To Suggest Part Of The Reason Why President Biden Had To Call Up Reserve Service Members Was Because He “Lets Trans Troops Skip Deployments To Receive Tax Payer Funded Gender Treatments.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “Biden’s DOD lets trans troops skip deployments to receive tax payer funded gender treatments. To fill the void left by low recruiting/retention & trans troops sidelined Biden is required to call up the reserves. This is the confluence of hubris, malice & incompetence.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 7/18/23]
¶ Joe Kent Attended A Rally To Protest A Bill That sought to Support access to Gender-Affirming Care Or Reproductive Care For Young people
Kent Opposed A Bill That Sought To Support Young People Seeking Gender-Affirming Care Or Reproductive Care, Falsely Claiming It Could Allow The Government To Separate Kids From Their Parents According to the Olympian, “Hundreds of people gathered at the Washington State Capitol on Friday, separating themselves into two groups with very different messages. One group gathered on the Temple of Justice steps were there to support transgender rights while just across the campus on the steps of the Legislative Building, some were there to oppose Senate Bill 5599, a bill that supports youth seeking gender-affirming or reproductive care […] Kent said he has concerns about the bill because he thinks it allows the government to separate kids from their parents. “I think that's a major issue regardless of what the reason is, but in particular for something that can be life-altering, like getting gender reassignment surgery, or getting pharmaceuticals,” Kent told McClatchy. But the bill language does not separate children or youth from their families, as some have claimed.” [Olympian, 4/22/23]
- Kent Criticized A Bill That Sought To Help Teenagers Seek Reproductive Health Services Or Gender-Affirming Care. According to the Columbian, “He criticized Washington’s Senate Bill 5599, which ensures shelter for teenagers estranged from their parents who are seeking reproductive health services or gender-affirming care. ‘It basically allows Washington state to get between parents and their kids,’ he said. ‘Whether that’s so-called gender-affirming care, castration, gender-altering surgeries or abortion, you name it, the parents are completely and totally cut out,’ he said.” [Columbian, 5/21/24]
- Kent: “In Washington The Schools Can Legally Take A Child W/Out The Parent’s Knowledge & Give Them Puberty Blockers / Gender Surgeries.” According to a post on Joe Kent’s Twitter, “Remember, every dem in congress voted to prevent parents from seeing whats being taught to their children in schools. In Washington the schools can legally take a child w/out the parent’s knowledge & give them puberty blockers / gender surgeries. This is the democrat party.” [Twitter, Joe Kent, 6/1/23]