Kirk Bangstad, owner of the self-proclaimed “Progressive Beer” Minocqua Brewing Company and a Democrat candidate for governor, has launched another tasteless promotion tied to the death of a prominent conservative: a buy-one-get-one-free beer deal if former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani dies.
In a Facebook post, Bangstad stated, “If Rudy kicks the bucket, it’s buy one get 1 free day #FreeBeerDay,” referencing Giuliani’s current hospitalization. The stunt echoes the company’s previous pledge of free beer “all day long” the day President Donald Trump dies and its recent “we almost got #freebeerday” celebration after a foiled assassination attempt on Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Giuliani, 81, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition in Florida while recovering from pneumonia. His spokesperson confirmed the former mayor was briefly placed on a ventilator after the infection overwhelmed his system. The condition is complicated by restrictive airway disease diagnosed after Giuliani’s heroic actions on Sept. 11, 2001, when he rushed toward the World Trade Center towers to assist victims and first responders, exposing himself to toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero.
Bangstad’s latest move comes amid ongoing backlash and federal scrutiny over prior posts. The FBI and Secret Service interviewed him following the Trump-related promotion. The brewery has also aggressively marketed “8647” beer and merchandise, urging the elimination of the 47th president, while turning its “Free Beer Day” promotion into merchandise.
Federal campaign finance records and a pending civil lawsuit in Oneida County Circuit Court allege that Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC directed nearly $460,000 to unregistered entities, Effervescent Blue and NCPS, which are listed at UPS store addresses with no apparent business operations, for advertising and consulting fees. Plaintiffs, including local newspaper publishers, claim these payments benefited Bangstad personally.
The brewery, which promotes progressive activism, has a history of using product promotions and social media to attack Republicans and “Corporate Dems” who distance themselves from its rhetoric. Bangstad continues to post on the company’s Facebook page, promoting new merchandise and his gubernatorial run.
