Former national security adviser Michael Flynn and ex-Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos are slated to speak at a social media conference preparing “patriots” for a “digital civil war.”
Mother Jones reported Tuesday that the two former Trump advisers are scheduled to attend next month’s Digital Soldiers Conference in Atlanta for supporters of President Trump and other “patriotic social media warriors.”
The majority of the proceeds from the conference, according to organizers, will go toward Flynn’s legal defense fund, helping the former Trump administration official pay off the legal fees accrued as a result of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Tickets range from $49 to thousands of dollars.
{mosads}Organizers reportedly urged Trump supporters to attend the conference in order to develop the computer skills necessary for a potential “digital civil war” against “censorship and suppression.”
The event is being organized by Yippy Inc. CEO Rich Granville, an outspoken supporter of the QAnon conspiracy that revolves around unsubstantiated accusations of pedophilia and conspiracy surrounding top Democrats and members of the so-called deep state. Granville confirmed his support for the conspiracy theory in an interview with Mother Jones, but denied that the conference will have anything to do with his views.
“Do I think it’s good for America? Absolutely,” Granville said of the QAnon conspiracy. “Do I think it’s a conspiracy theory? I doubt that.”
“I am with anybody who is with the United States of America, any digital solider [sic], any patriot, any average American who is doing their part to support the president of the United States,” he added.
One image advertising the conference is an American flag with 13 stars arranged into the design of the letter Q, according to Mother Jones.
Conservatives, including Trump, have long criticized social media companies and tech giants, alleging that they censor conservative views on their platforms. Google, Twitter and Facebook have denied those allegations.