World enews: Aide helping plan Bob Dole funeral is fired over alleged role in organising Trump’s January 6 rally before Capitol riot

A former staffer with the late Sen Bob Dole’s presidential campaign was fired as a volunteer helping organise his funeral after the late senator’s wife learned of his involvement in the events of 6 January.

Tim Unes, who according to a Dole family spokesperson served as an “advance staffer” for the late senator’s 1996 campaign, was subpoenaed in September over his involvement in a rally held outside the White House the day of the deadly attack on the US Capitol. At that rally, former President Donald Trump urged his supporters to “fight” as Congress sought to count the votes of the Electoral College, thereby making official his defeat in the 2020 election.

Mr Unes was ordered to appear for a deposition in late October, which he apparently attended, at the behest of the House select committee investigating the 6 January attacks. He also was ordered to turn over documents related to his work organising the rally outside of the White House.

According to the subpoena, an email associated with Mr Unes’s consulting company was included on the permitting form for the rally, which took place on the Ellipse park outside of the White House.

A spokesperson for the foundation begun by Mr Dole’s wife, former Sen Elizabeth Dole, explained that they made the senator aware of the connection between Mr Unes and the events of 6 January, resulting in Ms Dole opting to fire Mr Unes from the volunteer staff. Those involved in organising the senator’s funeral also oversaw his arrival to the US Capitol on Thursday, where he lay in state.

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“Tim Unes served as an advance staffer for the late Senator Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign,” the spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. “Along with a large network of former staff, Mr. Unes volunteered his time to serve on the advance team for this week’s memorial events honoring Senator Dole.”

“Yesterday, I made Senator Elizabeth Dole aware of Mr Unes’ alleged involvement in the events of January 6, 2021. Senator Dole was previously unaware of his participation and terminated his volunteer role,” added spokesperson Steve Schwab.

Mr Dole himself was a supporter of the former president, but publicly broke with Mr Trump in the days after the 2020 election when the 45th president made repeated, false allegations of widespread voter fraud.