Keith Ellison Denounces Wave Of Anti-Semitism As Vote For Democratic Chief Nears
Keith Ellison, the frontrunner for Democratic National Committee chairman, denounced hate crimes against Jews Wednesday and pushed back against accusations of anti-Semitism ahead of a vote to lead the party.
Ellison, who is facing a weekend election pitting him against ex-Labor Secretary Tom Perez and others, stressed “a long history of interfaith dialogue” during a CNN interview.
“It is critical that we speak up against this anti-Semitism …. We have to stand up for the Jewish community right here, right now, foursquare,” Ellison said.
He said Democrats should keep on demanding action to counter the current wave of bomb threats to Jewish community centers along with a Jewish cemetery desecration in St. Louis.
“That’s what the Democratic Party is all about,” said the Minneapolis congressman, who was a key backer of liberal Bernie Sanders in the Deomcratic presidential primary battle.
Ellison, who embraced the Nation of Islam years ago as a young man, dismissed accusation of anti-Semitism as groundless “smears” — and pointed to backing from 300 rabbis and Jewish leaders.
“I have a long, strong history of interfaith dialogue and that’s why, in my own community, I have support from the Jewish community,” he said.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO