Mike Pence scrubs QAnon fundraiser at the last moment

Only 48 hours before Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to travel to Montana for a fundraiser, the event has been called off.

"Vice President Mike Pence has canceled plans to attend a Trump campaign fundraiser in Montana following revelations that the event’s hosts had expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory," the Associated Press reported Saturday.

"President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign told The Associated Press on Saturday that Pence’s schedule had been changed, but the campaign did not provide a reason or say whether the fundraiser might be held at a later time. The change comes after the AP reported Wednesday that hosts Cayrn and Michael Borland in Bozeman, Montana, had shared QAnon memes and retweeted posts from QAnon accounts," the AP reported. "The baseless conspiracy theory alleges Trump is battling an entrenched bureaucracy and sex trafficking ring run by pedophiles."

The top of the Republican Party ticket in Montana had been scheduled to attend. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), who is being challenged by Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT), was billed as planning to attend. As was Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT), who is the GOP nominee for governor, and state Auditor Matt Rosendale, who is the nominee for Montana's lone congressional seat.

"Daines campaign spokesperson Julia Doyle said the first-term senator does not know the Borlands nor 'does he know what QAnon even is.' She referred questions on whether the event would be rescheduled to the Trump campaign," the AP reported. "The Borlands have donated over $220,000 to Trump’s reelection bid, the bulk of which was made in Caryn Borland’s name, and they were guests at the national GOP convention last month."

"The QAnon narrative has grown to include other long-standing conspiracy theories, gaining traction among some extreme Trump supporters. The movement is often likened to a right-wing cult. Some followers have run for office, primarily in the Republican Party, though some have been independent or run as third-party candidates. Trump has refused to say QAnon is false," the AP noted.

Read the full report.