Current Events > Gay club claims Buttigieg's husband canceled fundraiser due to dancer pole

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https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/providence-gay-club-claims-pete-buttigiegs-husband-cancelled-fundraiser-due-to-dancer-pole/

A popular Providence LGBTQ nightclub says the campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg canceled a fundraiser with Buttigiegs husband Friday night due to concerns over the venues appropriateness.

Chasten Buttigieg, husband of the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, had been slated to headline the fundraiser at the Dark Lady Friday night.

The event had been widely promoted on social media, including by City Council President Sabina Matos. Buttigieg, the first openly gay candidate to mount a major run for president, is believed to be in the top tier of candidates ahead of the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary next month. He has been endorsed by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza.

Buck Asprinio, the general manager of the Dark Lady, said members of the campaign who arrived at the venue ahead of the event said they asked staff members to remove the dancing pole in the middle of the club. They refused to do so.

Its been here since we opened and its not going anywhere, Asprinio said. The dancer pole is part of who we are if you want to dance on a pole, were the place to be.

A spokesperson for the Buttigieg campaign did not deny the Dark Ladys version of events, but declined to provide a reason for the relocation.

Unfortunately we had to relocate this evenings event, campaign spokesperson Tess Whittlesey said. We are grateful to the enthusiastic and dedicated supporters that joined us tonight in Providence.

Asprinio claims Buttigiegs campaign knew about the pole prior to booking the event.

We had sent pictures of the club, they knew exactly what the place looked like, Asprinio said. We thought the fundraiser was going forward at full force.

Asprinio said the Buttigieg campaign canceled the event about 20 minutes before it was scheduled to start, and told people arriving to move over to the Hotel Providence.

He expressed disappointment that the event was moved to a straight venue instead of an LGBTQ-oriented one.

To be an openly gay candidate for president, I would think they would want to show support for their own community, Aspirinio said.

The Dark Lady took to Facebook to express dismay about the cancelation: We guess this is what the gay candidate does to the gay community!

Were open, were here, were queer, get over it, the post said.

People in attendance at the Hotel Providence fundraiser told WPRI 12 the initial plan was to start at the hotel and then move to the larger event a Dark Lady. None were aware of the reason for the change in plans.

The campaign said it offered to compensate the Dark Lady for the previously agreed-upon price for the event.

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Bump
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Buttigieg strikes me as the kind of guy who would kill an animal with his bare hands just to make a point

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I was gonna say fair, next until I read that they sent him pictures of the venue in advance and then he decided to cancel 20 minutes before.

Thats a d*** move.

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I guess Buttigieg doesn't think the dancing pole would be a good look for his campaign, which begs the question why would a presidential candidate want to do a fundraiser at any nightclub in the first place? All the drinking and partying is fine, but oh man, a dancing pole is just going too far. /s

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FaultyGourry posted...

I guess Buttigieg doesn't think the dancing pole would be a good look for his campaign, which begs the question why would a presidential candidate want to do a fundraiser at any nightclub in the first place? All the drinking and partying is fine, but oh man, a dancing pole is just going too far. /s

Kinda sounded like the club was going to be the after party if they were already meeting at the other place first.


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Boo. They would have no problem with a pole in a straight club. Why are people so afraid of a little dick flopping around

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Isnt south bend a heavily catholic area? I'm surprised he was mayor there. Unless he was still I. The closet at the time.

Stand by your beliefs ffs... Cons never liled him anyway and he just lost votes from his base for insinuating being gay is somehow inappropriate... Whoever manages this guys campaign needs to grow a spine, get axed, or both.