But regardless of the campaign’s own culpability, Johnson’s attraction to the Trump movement confirms that white nationalist groups see the Republican presidential nominee as their best opportunity in years to break through to the mainstream.
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Although the Trump campaign blamed a “database error” for including Johnson as a delegate, the campaign corresponded with him personally just over 24 hours ago.
“This was immediately corrected, and a final list, which does not include this individual, was submitted for certification”, Newsweek reports Trump’s Calif. State Director Tim Clark, said in a statement Tuesday.
Johnson said he received an email from a California strategist with Trump’s campaign late Tuesday afternoon stating that he had been listed in error. But the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, says the party was “initially established by racist southern California skinheads” and “aims to deport immigrants and return the United States to white rule”. Mother Jones later reported that Johnson said he would resign as a delegate.
The Trump campaign issued a statement blaming a “database error” for Johnson’s inclusion. They are selected based on the outcome of voting in the state’s June 7 primary. “I think it’s good for people to be proud of your heritage, whatever heritage that might be, but particularly for white people because the whites now are so afraid to be proud of their heritage because they’re called bad names if they are”. “Donald Trump stands strong as a nationalist”. “I pledge to cast ALL of my ballots to elect Donald J. Trump on every round of balloting at the 2016 Republican National Convention so that we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
But the fact that the Trump campaign has named William Johnson, a white nationalist leader, as a delegate for the upcoming Republican primary in California shows a frightening incompetence and ineptitude from his staff.
“You answer the questions that they ask, and they asked, ‘What have you done to support Donald Trump?’ They didn’t ask, ‘Are you a white nationalist?” he said.
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Which means that Johnson will remain as a Trump delegate. He also said that when applying to be a delegate, he did not use the phrase “white nationalist” but did disclose his background and activism. She said she expected him to moderate his tone in the general-election campaign, but she said she found it hard to believe that any candidate would want the support of people with Johnson’s views. “Now they come in and say, ‘Oh, you’re like Donald Trump'”. “I will not be a delegate'”.
