Israel Matzav

Full text of shocking Pascrell letter in support of anti-Semite released

You will recall that Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) first supported and then 'retracted' his support for naming a park in Clifton, New Jersey after anti-Semite Chester Grabowski. Pascrell claimed that 

"the implication of my character and integrity I find appalling. I have never ever entertained any sort of anti-Semitism ever.

“That was not the Chester Grabowski I knew. That is why I withdrew my support at that time” from a proposal to name a Clifton park after him. Anti-Semitism has no place anywhere, here or over the sea.

Now, Rabbi Shmuely Boteach, the Republican candidate for Pascrell's Congressional seat, has released the full letter that was originally sent by Pascrell in support of naming the park after Grabowski. It's appalling (Hat Tip: Debbie R).
Sounds like Mr. Grabowski got thrown under the bus at the last minutes, doesn't it?

Rabbi Boteach's campaign comments:

“Congressman Pascrell knowingly misled the media and the public at our recent debate when he said he did not know about Chester Grabowksi’s anti-Semitism. We now have the full text of a recent letter written by Pascrell proving that he knew Grabowski for decades and considered him a close friend. Grabowski has been widely known for his vicious racism – his hateful comments against Jews and outright denial of the holocaust have been widely documented, as well as his decision to run for Congress in 1990 under the Populist Party that had supported former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke during his presidential run in 1988. Grabowski’s Congressional bid came at the same time that Pascrell was Mayor of Paterson, the largest city in the district. It’s impossible not to have known about his very public anti-Semitism and racism, and this putrid letter demonstrates that Pascrell was not telling the truth.”

“Pascrell has had numerous opportunities to familiarize himself with the hateful beliefs of Chester Grabowksi, and for him to say that he was unaware of them is not credible. Everyone knew of Grabowski’s hate-mongering and anti-Semitism, yet Pascrell insults the intelligence of the district’s citizens by claiming he was not aware. Not only is that not true, but it is contemptuous of his constituents.”

Read the whole thing. 

Labels: anti-Semitism, Bill Pascrell, Campaign 2012, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:32 AM