Trump ally Ali Alexander apologises after being accused of asking teen boys for nude pics
An organiser of the pro-Trump ‘stop the steal’ campaign has apologised after being accused of asking young men to send him nude photos.
Far-right activist Ali Alexander, who organised the pro-Trump rally that preceded the Capitol insurrection in January 2021, claimed in a statement on Telegram that he was sorry for sending “inappropriate messages”, but that nothing “unlawful has occurred”.
The activist added that he was battling with “SSA”, or same-sex attraction.
“I apologise for any inappropriate messages sent over the years,” he said, adding that the messages were no more than “flirtation”.
His longtime ally, white supremacist Nick Fuentes, told his podcast that Alexander is now “bowing out of public life”.
Alexander’s statement comes after British right-wing activist Milo Yiannopolous released video interviews and other evidence to prove that Alexander had sexually propositioned teenagers, the Daily Beast reported.
In a comment on Telegram, Alexander claimed three claims were “defamatory and false” and claimed those involved were attempting to “take advatange” of him.
When asked for further comment, he told PinkNews he would “continue to obtain retractions on the false information printed about me.”
According to an account by Aidan Duncan, who goes by the name ‘Smiley’, Alexander asked him to send nude photos in 2017, when he was 15 and Alexander was 32.
Duncan, who claims he has never met Alexander in person, explained that the activist told him he would be willing to share his political connections, including introducing him to Yiannopolous, if the then-teenager met certain conditions.
“You’ll have [me] sharing my entire network with you,” Alexander reportedly told Duncan, according to screenshots seen by the Daily Beast.
A screenshot seen by the outlet reportedly shows that Duncan was “allowed to say no”, but that Alexander would “deprive” him of things if he did.
“Boundaries are cool”, the message allegedly reads. “Allowed to say no. However, the less you deprive me of, the less I deprive you of.”
In a statement on Twitter, Duncan explained: “When I was 15 I was naïve and desperate.
“I thought I had no choice but to cooperate with inappropriate and humiliating requests if I wanted to make it in politics. I figured that was just the nature of the game.”
In 2019, Ali Alexander then allegedly asked Lance Johnston, who was 17 at the time, to send him an explicit message.
After Alexander reportedly asked Johnston for a naked photo, the then-teenager told the Daily Beast that he blocked the activist’s number, but chose not to report the incident.
Defending the message when it went public, Alexander reportedly said: “You can have any conversation you want with someone who’s 17.”
Alexander has previously been questioned by the House January 6 Committee about his role in organising a cancelled rally outside the Capitol, dubbed the “Wild Protest”, which reportedly “energised” those attending.
He has since said that he “remained peaceful” during the riots, and that he wished people had not entered the Capitol building, or even gone on the steps.
Alexander has not faced criminal charges for his role in the protests that later devolved into the Capitol riots.
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