3000 Sign Petition Against The NAC Following Capitol Riots

NEWTOWN, PA — More than 3,100 people have signed an online petition calling on numerous groups and community organizations in Bucks County to end their partnerships with Newtown Athletic Club after the gym's owner organized a bus trip to Washington as part of a planned protest against the certification of Joe Biden as the nation's next president.

Jim Worthington, Newtown Athletic Club owner and founder of the People 4 Trump organization, has faced criticism after he organized a bus trip of nearly 200 people to the nation's capital for a rally hosted by President Trump. Some attendees of that rally later stormed the Capitol and caused a riot where five people died.

On Saturday, Worthington issued a statement to clarify that none of those individuals took part in the storming of the Capitol building.

The petition was launched Saturday by Greg Bullough, of Doylestown, who said schools, businesses and medical facilities should distance themselves from the athletic club. The number of signatures on the petition has been rapidly increasing, with more than 700 people signing in a matter of hours on Monday. There were more than 3,200 signatures as of 4:30 p.m. Monday.

"The owner of Newtown Athletic Club, a notorious supporter of Donald Trump, organized three busloads of seditionists to converge on the US Capitol on January 6th," Bullough posted on Facebook. "His club's web page has a large list of 'community partners' including businesses, medical providers, our community college, and private schools, all of whom he likes to be associated with."

Bullough specifically names organizations that are listed as NAC's community partners, which include Bucks County Community College and Newtown Internal Medicine, among others.

"Charitable institutions should be concerned about the effects of such association on their fund-raising," Bullough wrote. "Other businesses will find that customers will avoid doing business with any business in a partnership with NAC or its owner."

Since the petition was launched, Bucks County Community College has announced it has discontinued its community partnership agreement with the Newtown Athletic Club.

Worthington was also in the media spotlight in recent weeks for his decision to keep his gym open during a shutdown order on Pennsylvania gyms.

See related coverage:

• NAC Owner Issues Statement On Capitol Riots
• NAC Owner Organized Buses To Capitol Demonstrations
• Bucks Co. Man Among 14 Pennsylvanians Arrested At Capitol Riots
• U.S. Capitol Riots: What To Expect In Coming Days
• Bucks Commissioners Condemn 'Disgusting' Capitol Violence

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