Loews Hotels cancels Hawley fundraiser in Orlando, ‘horrified’ by Capitol insurrection
Update 4:30 p.m.: Sen. Josh Hawley issued a statement Saturday afternoon saying he will “not be deterred from” representing his constituents and that he will “not bow to left wing corporate pressure.”
Loews Hotels announced Saturday it would no longer hold a fundraiser for Republican Sen. Josh Hawley in Orlando next month, saying it was horrified by the Capitol insurrection and “all who supported and incited the action.”
The fundraiser, billed as a “fun-filled-family-friendly” weekend in Orlando, was scheduled for Feb. 12-15 by “Fighting for Missouri,” a political action committee.
In a tweet, Loews Hotels said the company is “horrified and opposed” to what happened at the Capitol building, referring to the Jan. 6 insurrection.
“In light of those events and for the safety of our guests and team members, we have informed the host of the Feb. fundraiser that it will no longer be held at Loews Hotels,” the hotel said.
The Missouri senator, along with Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, has been widely condemned for supporting unsubstantiated allegations of widespread voter fraud in the November presidential election.
Fueled by those claims and the president’s cry to march to the Capitol to stop the electoral votes from being counted on Jan. 6, Trump loyalists stormed the building in a riot that resulted in five deaths. Hawley was the first senator to say he would
officially object to certifying the results of the election.
The Loews announcement follows disavowals from the senator’s powerful backers and several company donors requesting refunds. A photo of him holding his fist up to a crowd of Trump supporters before they sieged the Capitol caught fire on social media the day of the riot.
The previously-scheduled event also caught backlash on Twitter Friday before the hotel canceled.
A new group, the Just Oust Seditious Hacks PAC, formed this week and launched its first attack ad against the senator. The group seeks to stop Hawley from winning another election.
In a statement issued Saturday afternoon following the announcement, Hawley said he won’t be deterred.
“If these corporations don’t want conservatives to speak, they should just be honest about it,” Hawley said in a statement. “But to equate leading a debate on the floor of the Senate with inciting violence is a lie, and it’s dangerous.
“I will not be deterred from representing my constituents and I will not bow to left wing corporate pressure.”
On Wednesday, Missourians protested at Hawley’s offices across the state, calling for his resignation.
In a previous statement to The Star, Hawley condemned the violent actions at the Capitol. He said he was doing his job in contesting the election results.
“I will never apologize for giving voice to the millions of Missourians and Americans who have concerns about the integrity of our elections,” he said. “That’s my job, and I will keep doing it.”
Star reporters Bryan Lowry and Jonathan Shorman contributed reporting.
This story was originally published January 16, 2021 at 2:11 PM.
