From The State, Charleston South Carolina
POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
As Trump visits Carolina-Clemson game, billboards taunting him await. Here’s what they say
BY ANNA WILDER UPDATED NOVEMBER 25, 2023
One of eight electronic billboards broadcasting an anti-Trump message Saturday Nov. 25 as Trump makes his way into Columbia for the USC-Clemson game. PAUL OSMUNDSON
As former President Donald Trump makes his way into Columbia Saturday for the Carolina-Clemson game, traffic and tailgating may not be the only things he sees. Seven electronic billboards around the Midlands are rotating an anti-Trump message:
“You Lost.
You’re Guilty.
Welcome to Columbia, Donald.”
The billboards go on to say they are “Sponsored by League of Radical Leftists Vermin – Jay Bender Instigator.”
An eighth billboard is displaying the message in Charlotte.
Bender is a veteran Columbia attorney who specializes in media law. He has represented The State Media Co., publisher of The State newspaper, and other South Carolina news organizations.
Bender said when he learned Trump was coming to Columbia, he thought someone needed to speak up, so he started mulling on ideas. He said Trump is a threat to the livelihood and safety of individual Americans. “In a normal, rational world, anyone that crazy would not be considered a serious candidate for public office,” Bender said.
Bender’s sign references comments Trump made earlier this month about his political enemies. “We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections,” Trump said, according to The Washington Post.
Trump and his supporters have repeated baseless claims that he, not President Biden, won the 2020 presidential election. Trump also faces charges in four criminal cases that include allegations of hush money payments, hoarding classified documents, and attempting to overturn or interfere in the 2020 election.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, responded to the billboards by pointing out “President Trump continues to dominate in every single poll out of South Carolina. It seems like this disturbed individual is suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, and hopefully he seeks the professional help he needs.”
Originally, Bender said he wanted to fly a banner across Williams-Brice Stadium during the game with the word “guilty” on it. But because of timing logistics and the game’s night-time kickoff, he started to look around for other ideas.
Someone suggested he make a GoFundMe page to get donations. He did, and said he was overwhelmed at the response. In the GoFundMe, Bender wrote, “Hello. My name is Jay Bender, and in the deranged mind of Donald Trump I am a Radical Leftist Vermin. I’m raising money to fly a banner in conjunction with the Carolina-Clemson football game to which Trump is scheduled to attend. The banner will say simply, ‘Guilty.’”
He added that he wanted it to be short and simple, but also wanted to make sure others knew he was directing the message at Trump. “There could have been lots of things you could write up there about Trump, but I wanted it to be simple, direct and readable,” Bender said.
As of Saturday, the GoFundMe page had raised $9,870, exceeding the $6,500 goal. Bender said the one-day electronic billboard display cost $1,000, which he is funding. The Gofundme contributions will be refunded, and he is suggesting contributions be made to food banks, homeless shelters or other charities.
The former president was invited to the Palmetto Bowl by longtime ally S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster. Trump earlier this year attended the Iowa-Iowa State football game, visiting fraternity houses on the Iowa State campus.
It is unknown what Trump plans to do when he arrives in Columbia, or whether he will partake in game day tailgating. South Carolina’s first-in-the-South primary is Feb. 24, 2024.
[NOTE: Clemson won 16-7]
