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Attacks From the Jewish Right Continue in Pennsylvania

By Nathan Guttman October 19, 2010

Joe Sestak, the Democratic Pennsylvania senatorial candidate, just can’t seem to shake off attacks from right-wing Jewish groups.

First he was targeted by the Emergency Campaign for Israel in TV ads questioning his support for Israel, mainly because of his decision to join a letter calling for easing the Israeli siege on Gaza. Later he was hammered in newspaper ads, sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, that took issue with funding he received from J Street.

Now, the RJC is launching a $1 million campaign in Pennsylvania, attacking Joe Sestak once again. The huge buy is focused on one TV ad, criticizing Sestak from a whole new angle – his views on trying 9/11 suspects. The new ad shows Al-Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks, and states that “Joe Sestak wanted Khalid Sheikh Mohammed tried in a Pennsylvania courthouse.” It goes on to claim that Sestak is “out of touch.” To make the point, the ad notes that Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor Ed Rendell, and the two Democratic senators, Bob Casey and Arlen Specter, all opposed the idea.

And if that’s not enough, Politico is reporting that the Emergency Committee for Israel plans to re-run its anti-Sestak ad twice tonight, during the Phillies –Giants game.

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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