TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Katharine Kurz, Senior Communications Advisor for the Nevada State Democratic Party
DATE: January 5, 2023
SUBJECT: Sam Brown’s Support for January 6 and MAGA Election Conspiracy Theories
Tomorrow marks the three year anniversary of the deadly January 6 insurrection, one of the darkest days in American history that resulted in the deaths of five people, injured 140 law enforcement officers, and undermined the very foundation of our democracy.
In the time since, NRSC-backed Senate candidate Sam Brown has not only continued to spread the very election conspiracy theories that fueled the deadly insurrection – he has downplayed the violent events of January 6 and supported MAGA extremist efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Nevada even after January 6.
BROWN SPREAD ELECTION CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT FUELED THE JAN 6 INSURRECTION
Brown is a MAGA election skeptic who spread baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 election that fueled the January 6 insurrection. He said that election integrity was a “major concern” of his and that there were “a lot of questions” around President Biden’s victory in 2020.
Brown called for federal judges to “mandate” an audit of the 2020 election results, saying “I’m all about us digging in and finding out exactly what happened.” It’s the same dangerous lies pushed by Donald Trump that incited the deadly January 6 insurrection and sowed widespread distrust in our nation’s elections.
BROWN DOWNPLAYED THE DEADLY JAN 6 INSURRECTION, CALLING IT A MIX OF “PATRIOTIC EXPRESSION” AND OTHER “CONCERNS”
The January 6 insurrection was the first time in modern history that American civilians carried out a violent riot to attempt to change the outcome of an election after dozens of judges had rejected Trump’s false claims of voter fraud. In their attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, insurrections caused injuries to Capitol Police officers that included concussions from head blows and irritated lungs from bear and pepper spray, while others were “pushed down stairs, trampled by rioters, punched and run over in a stampede.”
That didn’t stop Sam Brown from downplaying the violent events of that day – describing it as a “complex” mixture of “patriotic expression of [insurrectionists’] love of country” and their “concerns.” He went on to say that focusing on January 6 was “political and divisive” and that there were more important issues than “deep diving January 6.”
BROWN CONTINUED TO PUSH MAGA EFFORTS TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION IN NEVADA AFTER JANUARY 6
Brown made overturning the 2020 election a key piece of his failed 2022 Republican primary bid for Senate – repeatedly attacking his opponent and top election denier Adam Laxalt for failing to successfully challenge the results of the 2020 election in Nevada.
During a debate with Laxalt, Brown criticized him for being late to file lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 election in Nevada. He even ran a TV ad attacking Laxalt for his failure to overturn the 2020 election results, undermining the will of Nevada voters and sowing distrust in our nation’s elections.
Key Takeaways:
- Sam Brown pushed the same dangerous conspiracy theories that led to the deadly January 6 insurrection and continues to downplay the horrific events of that day that left five people dead and roughly 140 law enforcement officers injured.
- In 2022, election denier candidates lost their races in Nevada and across the country – including prominent election conspiracy theorist Adam Laxalt. Sam Brown challenged Laxalt from the right on trying to overturn the 2020 election – meaning he has the same baggage as Laxalt and other MAGA election deniers who were rejected by Nevadans because of their extreme views.
- Sam Brown reduced the violent attack on our nation’s Capitol to a misguided display of patriotism, but there was nothing patriotic about it. Brown is going to have a hard, uphill battle as he convinces Nevadans to overlook his long history of MAGA extremism.
