Why is Ted Ferrioli hanging out with convicted felons, racists, homophobes, and conspiracy theorists on Saturday?

Kari Chisholm

Well, look who's coming to Oregon. It's none other than disgraced former Congressman Tom DeLay.

It's been a couple years since his conviction for money laundering and making illegal campaign contributions, and he's still awaiting sentencing pending an appeal -- but that apparently isn't stopping DeLay from speaking at the "Gathering of the Eagles", a right-wing gabfest at the Turner home of W. Ames Curtright, a three-time candidate for Governor.

Senator Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day), the GOP leader in the State Senate, will be on hand as a speaker, too. Which leads to my first question: Does Senator Ferrioli know who he's going to be hanging out with on Saturday?

Also on the speaker list, according to the Statesman Journal:

• Jerome Corsi, a prominent Birther and 9/11 Truther conspiracy theorist and rabid homophobe:

Huffington Post: Earlier this year, Corsi similarly compared the acceptance of homosexuality to paganism, saying that LGBT rights would lead to bestiality, pedophilia and "snuff films" becoming legal.

• Catherine Engelbrecht, the president of "True the Vote", a group investigated by the Department of Justice for racist voter intimidation and suppression. Last year, a congressional inquiry was opened into their actions:

Los Angeles Times: “At some point, an effort to challenge voter registrations by the thousands without any legitimate basis may be evidence of illegal voter suppression,” [Congressman Elijah] Cummings told True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht in a letter on Thursday. “If these efforts are intentional, politically motivated and widespread across multiple states, they could amount to a criminal conspiracy to deny legitimate voters their constitutional rights.”

So, here's what I want to know: Does Senator Ferrioli have no idea who else is showing up at this lovely right-wing hate-fest? Has he gone off the deep end himself? Or is he going with the intention of speaking truth to crazy? Anyone want to hazard a guess?

By Kari Chisholm July 31, 2013