In this photo from Aug. 20, 2022, former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Bremer County Republicans' Grill and Chill lunch in Waverly, Iowa. - Scott Olson/Getty Images North America/TNS

Presidential candidate Mike Pence received $550,000 last year for speaking to an offshoot of the Unification Church, whose current leader is bitterly opposed to her gun-loving, Trump-supporting son who was close enough to the Jan. 6 insurrection to be tear-gassed.

Pence revealed the lucrative payday from the Universal Peace Federation in his financial disclosure report that was released Thursday and reviewed by Raw Story.

The UPF speech on February 13, 2022, paid more than twice as much as any of Pence’s other speaking engagements detailed in the filing. The former vice president under Donald Trump reported making $1.03 million from his three speeches in South Korea.

Sun Myung Moon and his wife Hak Ja Han Moon

The Unification Church and UPF were founded by Rev. Sun Myung Moon — who died in 2012 at age 92 and was considered by adherents as the messiah — and his wife, Hak Ja Han Moon.

Moon’s church has been accused of being a cult and has conducted mass weddings in sports stadiums — and former members have talked about the church’s forced “deprogrammings.”

As a staunch anti-communist, Sun Myung Moon made connections with the right wing of American politics, founding the conservative Washington Times — an outlet Pence thanked in 2022, according to a transcript of last year’s UPF speech.

“I want to express my appreciation, especially to The Washington Times, a courageous voice for freedom in America, and frankly, around the world,” Pence said. “A voice for faith and family and liberty for all.”

Pence also thanked Hak Ja Han Moon at the UPF speech.

“I also want to thank the Universal Peace Foundation, and most especially you, Dr. Moon, for devoting your life for the cause of peace,” Pence said. “We are all in your debt.”

Rioters famously set up gallows and chanted “Hang Mike Pence” for his refusal to overturn election results.

Two sons of the Moons are connected to Steve Bannon and the January 6 insurrection, where rioters famously set up gallows and chanted “Hang Mike Pence” for his refusal to overturn election results.

Raw Story reported that, with three weeks left before the 2020 presidential election, Bannon, a former White House senior counselor, addressed a crowd by video in Greeley, Pa., at the Kahr Arms/Tommy Gun Warehouse.

Pastor Hyung Jin “Sean” Moon

After Bannon warned about “the left” working to prevent Trump from being declared the winner in Pennsylvania, one of the speakers was a son of Moon’s, Pastor Hyung Jin “Sean” Moon, founder of Rod of Iron Ministries. Moon and his brother, Kook-Jin “Justin” Moon, had broken from the Unification Church. Sean Moon had a gold-plated AR-15 rifle slung over his shoulder as he spoke. “Justin” Moon owns the gun manufacturer Kahr Arms.

Rod of Iron Ministries helped whip up election-lie hysteria in various cities and participated in the January 6 insurrection.

Source: https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/unification-church/