Rep. Tom Emmer accused of making anti-semitic comments in GOP letter
A letter from Republican Rep. Tom Emmer to party members is being called out for alleged anti-semitism.
According to a Friday report, the letter was issued in March by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), a party fundraising organization chaired by Emmer.
Headlined "Rep. Emmer, NRCC: Wealthy Jewish donors 'bought' Congress," the article from American Jewish World News centers on a letter issued by the NRCC on behalf of Emmer.
The letter says that the progress Republicans have made under the Trump Administration is being undercut by, among others, "liberal special interests, funded by deep-pocketed, far-left billionaires George Soros, Tom Steyer, and Michael Bloomberg."
"These left-wing radicals essentially BOUGHT control of Congress for the Democrats," prompting criticism from Jewish leaders including Carin Mrotz, the executive director of Jewish Community Action in Minnesota.
She told the news outlet that the notion of a small number of Jewish people behind behind a "conspiracy to undermine society or control government is pretty classic anti-Semitism," and one that puts Jews in danger of violence.
The news service notes that an NRCC spokesman defended the letter (which you can read right here) in an email response, saying "there is nothing anti-Semitic about drawing attention to billionaire donors."
BMTN has reached out to Rep. Tom Emmer for comment.
Emmer represents Minnesota's 6th congressional district, and was named the head of the NRCC, the House GOP's campaign wing, after the mid-term elections.
While Emmer is himself facing accusations of anti-semitism, MinnPost notes that under his watch, the NRCC has regularly accused Democrats of the same thing.
It has made Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar a regular target for accusations of anti-semitism in the wake of controversial comments she made by her about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The NRCC has even accused some of her fellow House Democrats of antisemitism for not outright condemning Omar, among them 3rd District Rep. Dean Phillips, who is himself of the Jewish faith.
Just this Friday the NRCC issued a press release accusing Phillips (and 2nd District Rep. Angie Craig) of "turning a blind eye to antisemitism" for failing to call for Omar's removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee.
