Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha met with supporters Tuesday at a private high-dollar fundraising lunch in Jackson Hole, attracting about seven protesters.
The couple spent about three hours in the valley, Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr said. The two traveled from the Jackson Hole Airport to a private residence south of Jackson in a motorcade of about 20 vehicles.
Two of the limousines flew American and vice presidential flags. One of the protest signs objected to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting immigrants.
Lynn Friess and Karen and Jay Kemmerer hosted the luncheon for the Republican National Committee, according to invitations published on social media. Those invitations offered invited couples a greeting, a meal and a photograph for a $250,000 donation. A $100,000 donation earned a meal and a picture.
“He was very forthright. He answered well.”
Lynn Friess
“I loved the format,” Friess said Tuesday evening. “They came in, sat down for lunch. He had an opening chat and said ‘ask me questions,’” she said. “It was very relaxed.”
Republican Paul Vogelheim, a former Teton County commissioner, had heard about the fundraiser and wasn’t interested. As a former Teton County GOP Chair, Vogelheim told WyoFile, that he’s long been frustrated by fundraisers that don’t benefit local candidates.
“It was always a little bit of bleeding out the money to national [groups] without really sharing that money,” Vogelheim said of the parade of high-end fundraisers that swing through Jackson Hole.
The Vances made no public appearances. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon was among guests at the luncheon.
Event co-sponsor Friess is the wife of the late Foster Friess, a conservative investment manager and avid supporter of President Donald Trump. He ran unsuccessfully for Wyoming governor in 2018.
Jay Kemmerer is a co-investor in the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. He attracted widespread criticism and protest for another fundraiser in 2021. The Kemmerer family owned the ski area at Teton Village outright at that time.
Jay Kemmerer hosted the controversial 2021 fundraiser for the House Freedom Fund. The event featured U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
The protest of the 2021 event evolved beyond a sign-carrying crowd to include the Patagonia clothing company, which said it would no longer sell its products to the Mountain Resort. The environmentally oriented outdoor wear brand advocates strongly for progressive action to defend the planet and combat climate change.
Patagonia’s 2021 decision centered on “our really strong commitment to using both our business and our brand to advocate for our strong priorities,” the company said at the time. “When there’s a misalignment on that, then we take action,” Corley Kenna, Patagonia’s head of communications, said.
The Teton County Republican Party defended the Kemmerers during that dust-up. “There is a firm distinction between peaceful protest, and deliberate aim to hurt those with whom we disagree, physically, emotionally, and financially,” the group posted on its webpage.
Tuesday, Vogelheim had another take.
As Teton County GOP chair, Vogelheim worked to rally the local party around being fiscal conservatives, being good stewards of habitat and respecting individual choices. He doesn’t see those values reflected in the party, he said, describing himself as an Al Simpson-style Republican.
“The current administration does not represent my interests and my priorities,” he said.
For host Friess, however, the event was worthwhile. “I’m glad I went,” she said. “He was very forthright. He answered well.”
The Vances left Jackson Hole in the early Tuesday afternoon, apparently headed for Big Sky, Montana, for a dinner fundraiser. Invitations offered similar $250,000 and $100,000 tickets.
The FAA issued notices restricting the airspace around the Jackson Hole Airport and a neighborhood south of Jackson from late morning to early afternoon Tuesday.
Axios reported that the two events in the West were expected to bring in more than $4 million.
This story has been updated to include that Wyoming’s governor attended the event and corrected to say the 2021 fundraiser was for the House Freedom Fund. — Ed.
Lashing out at Vance is just a symptom of your TDS. The fact is this type of fundraising has been happening since political parties were established. Obama was the King of private fundraising trips and the Biden admin set records in donations, so get over it! It’s called the way it is. Lets’ stop the hypocrisy and if you don’t like it, do your damndest to join the movement to end it or at least revise the rules.
Only $250Gs per plate? DJT just torched $10 million taxpayer dollars ( or around $555,555 per hole) on a single golf trip to Scotland. This paltry per-plate-rate is going to force MAGA World to comandeer a Gaza grocery hauler or two to airlift round-the-clock-surf-and-turf into ‘The ‘Ol Hole’ just to keep the commander’s pay-to-play coffers topped off. Nice to read that JDV had a lovely and relaxed chat at the luncheon though; I hope that he was a gentleman and finished all of his vegetables. I’ve heard that there’s a rumor going around that there are starving children in the Middle East that would look at the VP’s pile of mushy peas and see a feast fit for a King…
More proof that our governments, state and federal are more like an olygarky than a Republic. If the VP thinks he has a chance to win the Republican nomination for president………. He won’t. I hope that we have decided that spot in government is not for a politician.
Thank you to the kemmerers for standing strong for Wyoming! We the small people need these people to keep this state strong and stop the infestation of Democrats out of the state , let me be clear , the small people don’t get a voice like the money does, but we need this voice .
Tee hee.
Arn’t these the same people that are quietly paying for the freedom caucus and it’s marching orders?
Calm down Jackson Lefties, the earth is still here, the sun will rise tomorrow, and life will go on.
Losers sucking up to and giving money to criminals. The big, ugly, corrupt and morally reprehensible bill voted for by our shameful delegation will hollow out our state even more. May the organizers and attendees have pox on them and theirs.
“As Teton County GOP chair, Vogelheim worked to rally the local party around being fiscal conservatives, being good stewards of habitat and respecting individual choices. He doesn’t see those values reflected in the party, he said, describing himself as an Al Simpson-style Republican.”
Finally some break-through? I hope this continues as the elected GOP don’t seem to be seeing what is happening. Meat and vegetable prices are skyrocketing due to ICE raids. Hageman and JD Vance were financed by Peter Theil and she along with Lummis/Barrasso were just fine with giving away our public land. This administration is going to war on the US economy which is impacting the Western GOP voter, but not the well-heeled as they just got a tax-break for voting for a person that cares not for the Constitution or the rule of law.
Lummis and Barrasso enhanced their spineless credentials by voting to confirm another liar to a lifetime judgeship as Emil Bove is now in line to join the already corrupted SCOTUS. To put a cherry on top Governor Gordon has rubber stamped a state wide racial profiling effort which will no doubt lead to more economic and personal turmoil, but at least they do not get to hide behind a hood. So little humility or humanity from this current crop and I wonder when the tipping point will be reached or will they be fine with show trials for Obama and Clinton?
A three-hour grab-and-dash through Wyoming’s wealthiest enclave by the Vice President isn’t a good look. Hauling in millions from the ultra-rich raises a clear question: Who are MAGA Republicans in Washington really serving? It’s certainly not the “hard-working Americans” they so loudly claim to champion.
Actually, Teton County being the wealthiest county in the country it comes with the territory. Easy to just ignore it. During Clinton’s 2 visits while President, it was easy to avoid. It was harder to get around town during Clint Eastward’s movie filmed all around the downtown.
Figures…🤢
The rich get a voice and influence and the “little” people are totally ignored.
My mother used to say “The rich get richer, and the poor get babies…”
What a wonderful thing it must have been to see the vice president arrive in a taxpayer supplied aircraft and motorcade protected by tax payer paid Sheriffs and Police to attend a fundraiser. I certainly hope the well heeled republicants in Jackson Hole were just atwitter with them selves for $100,000 selfies with that idiot and his bride. If he actually acknowledged your presence it was an extra $150, 000. ??
Do you wonder what the questions were that he answered “well”?? Perhaps they asked about the Epstein scandal and Melanias green card??
I cannot imagine ever having enough “disposable income” to spend it on such a nincompoop even if he might someday inherit the presidency or maybe they are counting on it……..??