Dole Widow Drops Planner With Jan. 6 Ties From Funeral Team

'New York Times' reports Mitch McConnell raised concerns about Tim Unes
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 9, 2021 2:47 PM CST
Jan. 6 Rally Organizer Dropped From Dole Memorial Team
The casket of former Sen. Bob Dole lies in state in the Rotunda of the US Capitol, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021.   (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)

While nobody is expecting speakers at Bob Dole's funeral to incite mourners to storm the Capitol, his widow has decided that she doesn't want somebody involved in planning the rally that preceded the Jan. 6 attack to help plan memorial events. The Elizabeth Dole Foundation says Tim Unes will no longer be involved in events including the former senator's funeral at Washington National Cathedral on Friday, the New York Times reports. Unes, who was listed as stage manager of the "Stop the Steal" rally, was subpoenaed in September by the House committee investigating the Capitol attack. He is president of the Event Strategies event planning firm and was involved in Dole's 1996 presidential campaign as well as Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, reports the Hill.

"This evening, I made Senator Elizabeth Dole aware of Mr. Unes’s alleged involvement in the events of Jan. 6, 2021,” Steve Schwab, chief executive of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation said in a statement. "Senator Dole was previously unaware of his participation and terminated his volunteer role." Sources tell the Times that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell raised the issue of Unes' involvement with a Dole family contact who agreed that his role in memorial events should be limited.

Bob Dole, who died Sunday, lay in state at the Capitol Thursday, where President Biden joined those paying tribute to the man he called an " American giant" in a speech Wednesday, the AP reports. The Friday funeral will be livestreamed on large screens at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. After the funeral, the motorcade carrying Dole's casket will pause at a ceremony at the memorial, where Tom Hanks will be among those delivering remarks, reports the Washington Post. (More Bob Dole stories.)

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