Laguna Woods Republican Club invites pardoned Jan. 6 rioter to speak Friday, Democrats plan vigil and rally

A Jan. 6 insurrectionist who was pardoned by President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak Friday at a meeting of the Republican Club of Laguna Woods, and members of the Laguna Woods Democratic Club and their counterparts from Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo and Irvine are planning to protest.

Jeffrey Scott Brown was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He was pardoned by Trump after he was inaugurated for a second term in January.

The Republican Club of Laguna Woods invited Brown to speak at a meeting Friday at a Laguna Woods community clubhouse, billing him as a “victim of the Jan. 6 tragedy.” The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.

The Laguna Woods Democratic Club is planning a vigil and a rally to protest Brown’s appearance at the meeting and in the community.

“I know that this man has spoken at other venues and was quite animated,” Mary Ribando, president of the Laguna Woods Democratic Club, said.

The vigil is planned to start at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Gate 7 of the Laguna Woods Village on El Toro Road across the street from Stater Bros. market. A protest is then planned in the parking lot of Clubhouse 5 in the Laguna Woods Village, the site of the meeting.

Brown, 58, of Santa Ana, was found guilty in federal court of seven felonies, among them assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers, using a dangerous weapon and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder.

Prosecutors said he took pepper spray from a police officer and then used it on Capitol Police during the Jan. 6 melee. After his conviction in December 2022, Brown started his prison sentence in April 2023 and was released from a federal correctional facility in Lompoc after serving time in 11 prisons.

During his trial, Brown called himself a political prisoner. The Republican Club highlights Brown’s achievements as an Eagle Scout with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an FAA commercial pilot license.

Pat Micone, the president of the Republican Club of Laguna Woods, denied a request by City News Service to be interviewed. She said in an email response, “Our Governing [Board of Directors] has decided to not allow press nor an interview.”

Ribando said she was contacted by a number of Democratic groups who were “incensed about the idea of celebrating this man.”

“Everyone saw what happened on Jan. 6 and people who say they didn’t see it, I don’t know, they must live under a rock,” Ribando said. “It’s demeaning to hear people play it down. It was an appalling sight. It was an embarrassment for us as a country. We weren’t planning anything inside until we got pushback from residents who said it’s not enough to do it outside. We want to be inside, show them that we’re not happy with them coming into our space with this person.”

Ribando said she contacted the administration of the Laguna Woods Village about how they disagreed with the decision to allow Brown to speak at the Republican Club meeting.

Ribando said she was told that the clubs are independent and they have autonomy from the Village administration. Each club and its members have freedom of speech.

In response, Ribando told the Village administration the Democratic Club was going to protest the event at the clubhouse. Village security and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are aware of the planned protests.

Ribando told her club members the gathering needs “to be a quiet, respectful and peaceful vigil. No confrontation.”