Incendiary Former Sheriff David Clarke Will Speak at a Portland Holiday Inn Next Month

Clarke was suspended from Twitter last week for inciting violence when he urged his followers to make journalists "taste their own blood."

David Clarke (Gage Skidmore)
By Katie Shepherd

Right-wing rabble-rouser David Clarke is headed to Portland in early February to speak at an event starring several other high-profile conservative stars, including Oregon's own Rep. Greg Walden.

The former sheriff's impending visit, which was first reported by The Oregonian, is set for Feb. 3 at the Holiday Inn near the airport. The Oregon Liberty Alliance's "2018 Freedom Rally" will also feature conservative radio host and NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch and religious freedom advocate and lawyer Joseph Infranco.

Clarke is by far the most controversial figure on that roster. Twitter suspended his account last week when he suggested that his followers punch journalists in the nose and "give them a taste of their own blood." He also led a sheriff's department in Wisconsin that ran jails where many inmates died and others complained of frequent abuse.

A loyal Trump supporter, Clarke has become something of a right-wing celebrity. Oregonians can see Clarke and the other speakers for $45 and can shell out $300 for a ticket to the "VIP" afterparty where they can mingle with the political activists.

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