A US Republican committee has backed allowing an Austrian nationalist who received a donation from the Christchurch terrorist into the US to marry his right-wing YouTube star girlfriend.
Martin Sellner runs the Identitarian Movement, which opposes mass immigration and Islamic influence in Europe.
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He came under heavy scrutiny after it was revealed he had received a donation of almost NZ$2500 from the man accused of carrying out the Christchurch terror attacks.
Sellner told The Associated Press that he had exchanged emails with the accused after the donation, but denies any involvement or support for the attack.
But the revelation led to a raid by Austrian authorities on Sellner's home and the seizure of electronic devices.
Last month, Sellner said US authorities had cancelled his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a waiver that allows citizens of some countries to enter the US for brief periods without a visa.
He had planned on visiting the US to marry his fiancée, right-wing YouTube pundit Brittany Pettibon, in Idaho.
"We had actually planned to get married in the US this summer and I've always been able to get in [to the United States] without problems," Sellner said on his YouTube channel.
It was unclear if Sellner can still apply for a regular visa to travel to the US.
Last week Pettibone spoke before the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, saying her partner has faced political persecution and calling for them to speak in support.
"Martin has been to the US four times with no issue and never caused any kind of disturbance, so it really was politically motivated," Pettibone told the party.
Now the committee has passed a resolution calling on the Federal government to allow Sellner into the US, arguing that authorities had revoked his travel privileges "for political reasons" and "interfered with the wedding plans of these two young people".
Kootenai County GOP chairman Brent Regan told media the party took up the resolution because Pettibone is a constituent and they were worked about freedom of speech, and it wasn't meant as an endorsement of her or Sellner's views.
"It's not a resolution in support of his cause," added former vice-chairman Duane Rasmussen. "It's a resolution in support of him getting married."
Newshub.
