Pa. Republicans Embrace Donald Trump As He Is Featured Speaker At Annual Luncheon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An annual gathering of Pennsylvania government and business leaders in New York is attracting controversy this year because state republicans have invited Donald Trump to keynote their luncheon.
The GOP Commonwealth Club plans its Pennsylvania Society lunch, a major fundraiser, well in advance but it didn't announce Trump's appearance until the day before Thanksgiving.
Party chairman Rob Gleason said it put Pennsylvania Republicans in the middle of the national stage.
That's truer than ever, but a lot of the national attention on Trump has turned negative, as even members of his own party denounce his statements about Muslims.
This week, Marwan Kreidie of the Philadelphia Arab-American Community Development Corp, asked the party to disinvite Trump.
"You cannot have him there. This is unacceptable. It's un-Pennsylvania. It's un-American."
The party did not respond. Trump is still the headliner.