Notorious, outspoken, conservative Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is going to be descending upon the Bay Area for the San Francisco Republican Party’s annual dinner in November.
Known for her inflammatory remarks and for refusing to disclose her vaccination status, Greene has evolved into an outspoken conservative figure during the pandemic.
The Lincoln-Reagan event is an annual dinner, "a reason to get together," said John Dennis, the San Francisco Republican Party Chairman. The dinner used to be referred to just as the Lincoln Dinner, and was typically held around former President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in February. Reagan was added on in the last few years, he said.
Although the dinner is usually delayed, this year it was even more significant due to COVID-19, he said, and will take place on Nov. 6. "We’re having it late, really late."
Each year, a featured speaker is selected to attend by the party executive committee. This year, Rep. Greene was chosen, although not without some dissent, according to Dennis.
"She's a little more controversial than speakers we’ve had," he said. They asked other speakers, including Larry Elder, to attend before asking Greene, but other people's schedules just didn't line up. About 15% of those giving input on this year’s dinner didn’t want her chosen, but the majority ruled, said Dennis.
Greene is already causing plans to change for the party. Due to her refusal to disclose her vaccination status, the San Francisco chapter will be hosting the event somewhere in San Mateo County, where people are not required to prove they are vaccinated to attend indoor events.
The event’s actual location will be kept a heavily guarded secret until 48 hours beforehand, because "she draws a strong reaction," said Dennis. "We're concerned about the safety of the attendees, and we want to make sure that we've mitigated any risk from violent protesters."
Dennis is hoping that Greene will take the opportunity to address some of her controversy in her speech. He himself said he didn’t agree with most of her remarks prior to her election to Congress. After she walked back some of her remarks, and apologized, he warmed up a bit.
If a person does "express regrets and takes a different path forward, happy to hear where you are right now," he said.
Dennis anticipates anywhere from 175 to 300 people to attend. Head table seating, at $400, is sold out. VIP tickets are $300 and regular tickets are $175.
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