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Principles First Summit Bomb Threat [1]

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Date: 2025-02-23

This was originally part of the Diary called "Trump revels in lawlessness at CPAC." Then I saw the story about the bomb threat at the Principles First summit and left just the First Principles part.

The bomb threat came as attendees were filing into the hall to hear the next speaker, who was John Bolton. They were told to exit and head to the upper floors of the hotel.

Jim Acosta put the email threat up on his X account.

The subject line read "explosive surprises," and purported to come from an account named Enrique T. Enrique Tarrio has denied any involvement. But after the Saturday encounter with him in the hallway and confrontation with Michael Fanone, should we believe him? There's a description and a link to the video of the encounter below in the original section of the diary.

After the police officers and security officials had completed a sweep of the hotel, Heath Mayo, the founder of Principles First, confirmed the bomb threat by email.

"We are not going to be cowed ... It would have been easy to go home and write this off and let these threats win. But this is what America is about, and America's democracy --- the way our government works --- cannot be cowed by threats like this or people like this."

The crowd responded with loud applause.

Tarrio had shown up at the event on Saturday in order to insult four police officers from the Capitol including Aquilino Gonell, who was receiving the "Profile in Courage" award from Principles First.

At the end of the encounter, Michael Fanone yelled at Tarrio, "You're a traitor to this country."

Later, Gonell said, "... it's insane that we had to be subjected to their harassment now because they feel emboldened and empowered by the pardons that they received."

The summit was able to continue about 2 hours later on Sunday afternoon. Attendees applauded the police officers and started to chant "USA USA!"

"Asked whether he had a message for Trump after the last couple of days, considering Trump's pardon of Tarrio, Fanone repeated his message from the panel he appeared on Saturday, saying, 'Go f*ck yourself!'"

Here's Glenn Kirschner's take on the bomb threat.

Heath Mayo's message to the attendees about the bomb threat.

"...some January 6th rioters/ social media stars were thrown out of CPAC, clashing with host Matt Schlapp in the process." I hope they were thrown from a great height.

Original diary part below.

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Besides CPAC in Washington this week, there was also the Principles First summit. This is an alternative to CPAC for Republicans dismayed at the current state of the party. Enrique Tarrio and a group with him tried to enter, but was turned away because the event was already at full capacity, according to former Capitol Hill officer Harry Dunn, who was the press liason for the event. Dunn has called the Jan.6th pardons a "slap in the face." He might have stronger language in private.

A video follows Tarrio going through the venue's hallways with a lady who keeps turning around and calling Tarrio an asshole and telling him to back off. Tarrio doesn't. Then at the elevators, we see retired officer Michael Fanone, and he and Tarrio get into a shouting match. Tarrio doesn't stop until Fanone is in the elevator and the doors close. Tarrio should be in jail for 22 years. This is not justice. Maybe he'll accidentally off himself playing with guns.

Here's the Principles First website. There also a page for the Principles First 2025 summit. Speakers were: Mark Cuban, Chris Christie, John Bolton, George Conway, J. Michael Luttig, Adam Kinzinger, Michael Steele, Frank Figliuzzi, Glenn Kirschner, and more, and the Fantastic Four: Michael Fanone, Harry Dunn, Aquilino Gonell, and Daniel Hodges. I'm sorry I couldn't go. Helluva group of speakers.

I'm sure it was much better than CPAC.

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