NOPE NOPE NOPE
‘Groucho? Harpo? Chico?’: Matt Schlapp Mocked for Claim This May Be Final 4th of July Before ‘Marxists’ Take Over US

Far right wing lobbyist, Fox News contributor, Trump campaign surrogate, and provocateur Matt Schlapp is being mocked after claiming Marxists are taking over the country and warning that as a result, Saturday may be America’s final Fourth of July.
Schlapp apparently was forced to use a photo of umbrella-holding protestors fleeing what looks like tear gas, with one particularly patriotic young man donning an American flag face mask while holding up a rather large American flag.
“This Saturday, if the Marxist leaders have their way, we will celebrate #IndependenceDay for the last time as a free people,” Schlapp tweeted. “Now is the time to stand up for your country. And even more importantly, pray that the Great American Experiment survives their assault.”
This Saturday, if the Marxist leaders have their way, we will celebrate #IndependenceDay for the last time as a free people. Now is the time to stand up for your country. And even more importantly, pray that the Great American Experiment survives their assault. pic.twitter.com/NExTIh6q0u
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) July 2, 2020
At first glance, perhaps, some likely would assume the image is of Black Lives Matter activists at a George Floyd racial justice protest.
But as Vox co-founder Matt Yglesias pointed out, the photo is of protestors in Hong Kong, a region currently engaged in its own fight for freedom.
This is a photograph of Hong Kong https://t.co/Vd69LF4KLr
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) July 3, 2020
(The photo is from the Associated Press, and can be seen in this Voice of America article)
Schlapp, whose wife is a Trump campaign advisor, was double mocked – for the photo, and for the “American” protestors.
(The right recently has been labeling Black Lives Matter as “Marxist,” citing the reported beliefs of one of its co-founders, intentionally ignoring that the millions who are marching against police killings and for racial justice are not.)
Schlapp, by the way, is the chairman of the American Conservative Union, the company that hosts the annual right wing Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Several companies have recently dropped Schlapp over his comments about the George Floyd protests. Among them, these:
Statues of Jesus are next. It won’t end. Pray for the USA
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) June 22, 2020
Mark BLM shut down DC because they refuse to hold the dem elected officials in MN to account for Floyd’s murder. It is easier to blame Trump. Keep it going and you’ll reelect him. All lives matter including the dozen or so killed due to fanning these flames for political “gain” https://t.co/z7kn5Bjkle
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) June 6, 2020
Growing list of companies giving to Black Lives Matter Coalition which is hostile to families, capitalism, cops, unborn life and gender. How can a company give to a network of groups that want to outlaw corporations? Because many corporate boards are infected w leftists.
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) June 11, 2020
Here’s how some are responding to Schlapp:
Who, pray tell, are the Marxist leaders? Groucho? Harpo? Chico? Those are the “Marxists” most popular in the US.
The tweet has the stench of fear. Trump’s authoritarian allies are running scared. https://t.co/iSF0JmmVnt
— Michael R. Bromwich (@mrbromwich) July 3, 2020
guys like this take an almost sexual joy in dreaming up completely crack-brained imaginary new ways they are being oppressed https://t.co/2DPfpXnj3a
— ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper) July 3, 2020
Cool picture of Hong Kong. Real patriots can tell the difference between our country and another one. #HappyFourthOfJuly https://t.co/L1oBU4f7xD
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) July 3, 2020
“The Great American Experiment” is a weird way to say “my grift to make millions of dollars because I’m married to a senior adviser of Trump” but you do you, Matt.
— Pé (@4everNeverTrump) July 3, 2020
do you have any idea just how ridiculous you sound
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) July 3, 2020
Fear. It’s all these Trump-era grifters have. Fear. https://t.co/kJs9a2Jnqg
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 3, 2020
Marxist leaders? Seriously? Who’s that? How did you end up so troubled and scared? https://t.co/8wdYXn1Na3
— John Sipher (@john_sipher) July 3, 2020
It’s chaos with these Marxists! pic.twitter.com/XkoqvdP6aR
— BillMemphis (@BillMemphis) July 3, 2020
Yes. Nothing says America is failing like a protester in Hong Kong waving the stars and bars. You’re not even a good propagandist. We will get our country back in January and all of your con artists and grifters can go back to your old crimes.
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) July 3, 2020
When you’re desperate to add to the chandelier collection in the $3 million Alexandria home and “30-acre idyll in the Blue Ridge Mountains” that Koch Industries and the NRA bought you https://t.co/dVmLPtxL5h
— Adam Weinstein (@AdamWeinstein) July 3, 2020
So two things:
1) That’s a photo of Hong Kong;
2) Dude, you need to seriously up your meds. https://t.co/5xPdu5TxgZ
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) July 3, 2020
The ONLY thing #MAGA Republicans know how to do well is to make up a fake enemy (Muslims, Immigrants, ANTIFA, etc.) make you afraid, and then say THEY are the only ones who can fix it. This fuktard, @mschlapp and his wife @mercedesschlapp are two of those people. https://t.co/CNZ7tHkEZz
— 🖕🏻Aunt Crabby calls Bullshit 🖕🏻 (@DearAuntCrabby) July 3, 2020
Lenin and Trotsky coming over for a 4th of July BBQ? Maybe you should ease off the absinthe.
— Andrew C Laufer, Esq (@lauferlaw) July 3, 2020
It’s just a lie. More gaslighting from the racist right. https://t.co/4qZuhPxs8B
— Beki Knott (@lotsofuss) July 3, 2020
Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license
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