David Armiak works at Center for Media and Democracy and has been monitoring the CNP for several years. He told Knock LA that Villanueva’s Democratic Party allegiance seems odd for the CNP: “there [are] no Democrats involved in this, and if they are, then they moved to the right.” He describes CNP initiatives as “weaponized to move the needle in favor of Republicans,” mentioning CNP’s involvement in creating and recruiting for COVID disinformation group America’s Frontline Doctors.
A leaked agenda from the multiday conference included conservative flashpoints like accusing “wokeness” of “threatening the fabric of the nation,” supporting reversal of Roe v. Wade, and decrying “illegal immigrants being flown and released into cities.” The agenda lists a screening of the film Capitol Punishment, which aims to provide a sympathetic picture of the January 6 riots. Speakers included former Libertarian/Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder, Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser, and National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd.
Audio provided by Armiak from one of the panels in February in Dana Point includes Victoria Cobb, head of Virginia’s chapter of the Family Research Council, which is designated as an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Speaking quickly and excitedly, Cobb brags about the “protect every kid campaign,” which would “identify three to five school boards that would publicly resist implementing the statewide transgender standards,” “rally public support through a school board,” and “create a visible wave of resistance through the … campaign, social media, and all of the above.”