Mesa, AZ — A group of America First groypers, college Republicans, and a Christian nationalist pastor were handing out burgers and hot dogs to voters in Phoenix on Tuesday—but only if they voted for former president Donald Trump.
The cookout took place about 100 yards from a polling station—and it was likely illegal.
The effort was organized by the far-right College Republicans United group, in association with the Patriot Party of Arizona. It began just after polls opened at the Mesa Convention Center. Groypers, the name that followers of white nationalist Nick Fuentes give themselves, were helping hand out hot dogs, burgers, and cold drinks. Manning the grill was Pastor David MacLellan, a Christian nationalist who is the chaplain for the Patriot Party of Arizona and subscribes to the extremist ideology of the Black Robe Regiment.
“We’re giving away hot dogs and hamburgers to folks who are doing the right thing, voting for Trump,” MacLellan tells WIRED.
Isaiah, a self-identified groyper who would not provide his last name, confirmed that the group was giving food only to Trump voters, but added that the food is “specifically for Trump voters, but we do welcome others if they do want to come over and change their mind.”
Providing food for a specific group of people at a polling location is in breach of federal law.
“Not only is it illegal to give just to voters for one candidate, one cannot limit it only to voters. It must be made available to all people in the area, including children and others ineligible to vote, to avoid running afoul of federal law against vote buying,” Rick Hasen, a law professor at UCLA, tells WIRED, citing the same rules that Elon Musk was accused of breaching with his $1 million ballot.
The Arizona Secretary of State’s office, which sets the rules for behavior at polling locations, did not respond to a request for comment.
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