Newtown Athletic Club Faces Backlash after Owner's People4Trump Trip to DC Rally

(Editor’s Note: This blog, “The Wisdom Of Expressing Political Opinions In The Fitness Industry,” gets into some of the possible consequences of sharing your views with members and staff. In addition, the story has been updated with a comment from the NAC about the calls for businesses to end their partnerships with the company. The story and headline also were updated to correct the name of the march and to note that Jim Worthington did not organize the buses.

Jim Worthington is well-known in the fitness industry as a supporter of the Republican party and President Donald Trump. The owner of Newtown Athletic Club (the NAC) and Horsham Athletic Club, both in Pennsylvania, has held fundraisers for Trump at the NAC and founded the People4Trump organization, which is dedicated to supporting the Republican party in the Pennsylvania Congressional 1st District. He was appointed by Trump to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. He also often posts his support of the president on his personal Facebook page, generally receiving positive responses from his friends and members. 

But after the Jan. 6 rally and subsequent attack on the Capitol, comments on his Facebook page trended more negative as people lashed out at Worthington after People4Trump organized three buses to take about 200 Trump supporters from Newtown, Pennsylvania, to Washington, DC, for the Save America March, which was organized by Women for America First. The rally was to protest what attendees said was election fraud, although the Republican election officials in the states in question said no election fraud occurred.

After the rally ended, some rally attendees marched to the Capitol where some of them forced their way into the building, causing damage to the Capitol, injuring at least 12 police officers and killing one officer. Four of the Capitol attackers also died, one of whom was shot by police.

The People4Trump group did not join the march to the Capitol nor did it participate in the attack, Worthington said in a post on his Facebook page. Instead, the group boarded the three buses after the rally ended, only finding out about the attack during the drive back to Pennsylvania. Worthington condemned the attack on the Capitol in his post and condemned people for lumping the People4Trump group in with the attackers.  

But his statement didn’t stop some people from posting negative comments on Worthington’s Facebook page, and it didn’t stop one group from starting an online petition urging local businesses to end partnerships with the NAC. As of 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 12, more than 6,000 people had signed the petition. As of 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 11, 10 of the 28 organizations originally on the NAC’s partner page had cut ties to the NAC, according to the Bucks County Courier Times.

Despite these negative reactions, other people posted support for Worthington and the group on the People4Trump Facebook page.

Linda Mitchell, director of public and government relations at the NAC, reiterated that the buses were organized by her as part of People4Trump, not as part of NAC, but that distinction has been lost on many of the community partners who now feel pressure from their customers and clients to end their relationship with the NAC. 

"The NAC is not involved in any of these activities, and the NAC employees are the ones who will suffer," she told Club Industry. "Other businesses, members of the NAC, members of the community, and more have come to our defense.  They know how many millions of dollars we have raised for charitable causes and they respect the right for any individual to express their views, be they political or otherwise. Ninety-five percent of the vitriol is coming from non-members who are now engaging in the kind of hate that I have never seen in my lifetime."

Worthington is the former chairman of the board for IHRSA, the trade association for commercial health clubs. He is currently ex-officio on the board. Mitchell confirmed that a few IHRSA clubs have lodged complaints to IHRSA about the NAC and this situation. 

"That is particularly disheartening as they have no real understanding of the situation," she said. "After over 40 years of unquestioned dedication to IHRSA to have this affront is dispiriting to say the least."

IHRSA shared support for Worthington and his efforts on behalf of the fitness industry.

Brent Darden, Interim CEO of IHRSA, told Club Industry: “IHRSA by nature is inclusive of individuals with a wide spectrum of political interests. In fact, one of the most important and strategic anchors of the association is public affairs/advocacy related to the health and fitness industry. As so many of us have become painfully aware through the pandemic and the lack of consideration given to health clubs as an essential business, often the path forward is built upon relationships. The opportunity to influence government officials and decision makers requires political involvement. Jim is someone who has tirelessly fought on behalf of our industry for years—to pass PHIT, for relief bill(s), and to gain our industry a seat at the proverbial table. The unfortunate events at the capitol were criminal, appalling and unacceptable—sentiments shared by our country, our industry, our trade association and Jim Worthington.”

Carrie Kepple, IHRSA acting chairperson, said: "IHRSA and its Board of Directors are deeply saddened by the events at the Capitol last week and would never condone such destructive behavior to our democracy. Our Ex-Officio Jim Worthington, who had attended the rally earlier that day but was already on the road travelling home when the riots broke out, said he too was extremely saddened and sickened by the criminal events that took place. We respect everyone’s right to their personal political beliefs, but none of us condone such illegal actions.”

Prior to the petition and cancellation of partnerships, Worthington posted a statement about the rally group in a public post on his Facebook page. The full statement is as follows:

FOR THE RECORD:

“I let this sit for a few days while taking in in all the rhetoric on social media, 80% of which was horrifyingly negative, calling our group domestic terrorists for taking a bus trip to Washington DC on January 6th to support the President. Here is the truth of the matter. The bus group consisted of nearly 200 individuals, many of whom traveled here from other states - 65% of whom were women ranging in age from 35 to 75 years. These folks are your neighbors, co-workers, supporters of your businesses and just plain Americans like all of you. Each of these individuals paid for their own bus ticket. They left at 5:30 am in the morning and got back on their bus in Washington DC at 3:30pm to begin the trip home. Not one of them was near the Capitol entrance when the rioting took place nor were most of them aware of any activities at the Capitol until after they got on the bus.

“All of them went with the hope of hearing their President speak at the White House one last time and showing Congress that they support fair elections. These folks are not seditionists, nor do they break the law. These good folks do not deserve the vitriol and mischaracterizations they have been receiving from not only those on social media but also from political representatives who voiced disappointment in the Bucks County residents who went to Washington DC who were expressing their right as an American to have their voice in peaceful protest. There were many buses that went from Bucks County and none of the participants deserve that vote of disappointment.

“The responsibility for the protest not remaining peaceful falls directly on to the individuals who penetrated the sacred walls of the Capitol. They broke the law, not your fellow Bucks Countians. Flip this around, would any of you who pointed a finger want to be accused of something you did not do and even more something you would not do as you believe it is wrong.

“We stand up for them, that is what this country is built upon, respect. We don’t have to agree, but we sure do have to respect one another and the law.

“If the law is broken, and it was by some, then those who broke it are to bear the blame, not those who stood for their beliefs lawfully and peacefully.

“Our individual freedoms will be stolen if we succumb to this divisive name calling and blaming.

“I am sure even this explanation will be lambasted and used against me personally. For some hate is the only response they can muster. Even knowing that, it’s my obligation to set the record straight and defend these good Americans from Bucks County who participated.”