The Council for National Policy (CNP) is a shadowy but influential force in American politics, and its reach extends far beyond Washington, D.C. Recent activities by three CNP members—Tony Perkins, Karen England, and Kimberly Fletcher—show how these individuals, representing far-right Christian nationalist organizations, exert significant influence on Southern California communities. From local school boards to church pulpits, these leaders are quietly shaping the political landscape, often with little public scrutiny.
Let’s take a closer look at what these CNP members have been up to this past year and how their efforts are affecting local and national politics.
Tony Perkins and the Religious Right
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council (FRC), an SPLC designated hate group, is one of the most prominent members of the CNP. Recently, Perkins was a guest preacher at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, a megachurch led by Jack Hibbs, another key figure in Southern California’s Christian nationalist movement to infiltrate school boards. Perkins has a longstanding relationship with Hibbs, calling the church his “left coast home church” and referring to Hibbs as his “battle buddy.” Perkins also revealed that he and Hibbs are in “constant contact” as they push a shared agenda of right-wing Christian politics.
During his sermon on April 14, 2024, Perkins discussed his recent trip to Israel, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Perkins claimed to have prayed over Netanyahu, who supposedly told him, “We need the American church because the administration is backing away.” This meeting, combined with Perkins’ frequent rhetoric around “spiritual warfare” and “gender ideology,” is part of his broader attempt to mobilize conservative Christians against what he views as a moral and spiritual decline in American society, while weaponizing Christians to align with zionist perspectives.
Throughout his sermon, Perkins shifted between topics like crime, Israel, and “gender ideology,” frequently blaming President Biden for Iran’s actions and even making jokes about “skinny jeans” and celebrities. Perkins’ language was blunt and alarming, describing contemporary issues as the “advancement of the doctrine of demons,” including a reference to the Trans Day of Remembrance falling on Easter Sunday.
But the core message Perkins was trying to convey was clear: Christians must vote, get involved in local politics, and take control of societal institutions. This rhetoric aligns with the CNP’s broader agenda to establish a Christian nationalist political order. Perkins has been labeled an extremist by the SPLC which also tracks individuals who promote intolerance. His influence, particularly in SoCal, is part of a broader effort by CNP organizations to establish a parallel political hierarchy that runs through both local churches and local//high-level government officials.
Karen England: The 'Book Ban Queen' and Her Crusade to Shape America's Schools
Karen England has a long history of involvement with various CNP-connected organizations including Concerned Women for America and Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum. Sometime in the late 90s she became executive director of the Capitol Resource Institute, a California-based organization originally founded to oppose gay rights and comprehensive sex education.
With CRI, England has steadily opposed efforts to expand civil rights for LGBTQ+ people, notably working in support of CA’s Proposition 8 which banned gay marriage, and pushing a failed ballot measure that would have banned the teaching of LGBTQ+ history in public schools.
Since losing the gay marriage and LGBTQ+ curriculum fights in CA, England has earned a reputation as the “book ban queen,” rebranding her activism as a crusade against “porn in schools,” in other words, books that that deal with LGBTQ+ issues, progressive politics, or those which present accurate sexual information, or describe incidents of abuse. She has lived in California, Nevada and Tennessee and frequently travels between the three states to speak in support of book bans at local school board meetings or as part of Calvary Chapel’s Real Impact political ministry. Notably, Real Impact is headed by another CNP member, Gina Gleason, who also serves as a board member of CRI. This overlapping and interconnected network is a hallmark of CNP organizing and structures for influence and amplification.
In recent months England has appeared alongside TPUSA-connected “pastor” John Amanchukwu at Reno school board meetings, and appeared with Gina Gleason in support of Chino Valley’s Sonja Shaw and her efforts to ban books and pursue illegal forced outing policies.
England also spoke at a conference for “THINQ Media” in Tennessee, an event designed to further the Christian nationalist agenda. England was joined by Kristen Waggoner, a CNP member and conservative lawyer with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), whose lawyers, including Waggoner, have been instrumental in defending cases like the Masterpiece Cake Shop case, which allowed discrimination against gay couples. The ADF, and SPLC designated hate group, is another influential arm of the Council for National Policy, with its founder, CNP member Michael Farris, serving as a key figure. Farris, known for his staunch opposition to public schools, is also the architect of the “parental rights” movement, which has become a rallying cry for many on the far-right.
At the THINQ Media summit, England also interacted with other notable figures who advocate for Christian nationalist causes, including Joel Penton, the founder of LifeWise Academy, which brings Bible education into public schools. This growing movement blurs the line between church and state, undermining the principles of religious freedom that form the foundation of American democracy.
THINQ Media seems to function as a Christian nationalist version of TED, hosting conferences and events that promote far-right Christian ideologies and. Founded by Gabe and Rebekah Lyons, it is tied to the parent company Q Ideas, which incorporates New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) language, such as the concept of the “7 Channels of Culture,” mirroring NAR’s “7 Mountains” framework aimed at influencing various societal spheres through Christian values.
Kimberly Fletcher and Moms for America’s Radical Agenda
Kimberly Fletcher, president of *Moms for America* (M4A) and a prominent member of the Council for National Policy (CNP), has been actively advancing far-right Christian nationalist ideologies. Recently, Fletcher participated in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Hungary, where she appeared alongside figures such as Jack Posobiec, Paul Gosar, and Rick Santorum, spouting Christian nationalist rhetoric about spiritual warfare. At the conference, she was involved in a panel discussion titled “Gender Zero,” which further emphasized her group’s radical Christian nationalist stance on gender, family, and societal norms. Additionally, Fletcher aligned herself with a task force emerging from the CPAC Hungary event known as the “Woke Busters,” a group that advocates for a concerted effort to “take back the West.” Western figures, including Fletcher, notably aligned with the authoritarian rhetoric of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is notable for suppression of dissent and the erosion of press freedoms, further underscoring the far-right conservative commitment to a vision of governance that aligns with authoritarian principles.
In addition to her international efforts, Fletcher has been active on the domestic front. She participated in the Leadership Institute’s “Learn Right” Summit, where she made controversial statements like “rise up peasants” to rally attendees to engage in far-right activism. The Leadership Institute is notable as an arm of the CNP through its founder Morton Blackwell. Fletcher’s involvement in right-wing politics is not limited to rhetoric—Fletcher and her group M4A operated under a Stop the Steal coalition where she was deeply involved in the events surrounding the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Fletcher pleaded the fifth during her deposition about her group’s role in securing permits for the rally that preceded the violence.
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Locally, Moms for America has been mobilizing Southern California communities, particularly through “cottage meetings” designed to recruit new members to its conservative cause. The Ventura County chapter, led by Joelle Mancuso and Tarin Swain, for example, has already threatened to bring book bans to local school districts through its “Ambassador Program,” continuing the push for right-wing Christian values in education. England and Fletcher both play pivotal roles in directing these efforts, continuing their work to create a more conservative, Christian-centric political environment in Southern California.
The CNP’s Pervasive Influence
Tony Perkins, Karen England, and Kimberly Fletcher are just three of the many figures associated with the Council for National Policy, but they illustrate the deep and widespread influence the CNP has on local and national politics. These individuals are not merely pushing isolated agendas—they are part of a larger movement that seeks to reshape American democracy in the image of Christian nationalism. Whether through astro-turf organizations, local school boards, church pulpits, or international political gatherings, the CNP’s reach is long and its goals are ambitious.
It is crucial for Southern Californians—and Americans at large—to be aware of the growing influence of the CNP and its affiliates. As these groups work to reshape political and cultural institutions, they pose a threat to the inclusive, pluralistic democracy that many Americans value. By understanding their tactics and the figures behind them, we can better resist the rise of Christian nationalism and protect the principles of equality, justice, and religious freedom that define our nation.
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