Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:

New information reveals that an article written by Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minn), called for an optional separate country for Black Americans; his condemning Zionism; his affiliation for 10 years and defending Jew-hating, white-hating Louis Farrakhan as a role model for Black youth; his defending other Jew haters; his defending murderers; his claim Israel was established under dubious circumstances, again makes it crystal clear that Ellison is a racist Jew hater, even a white hater and far too radical, divisive and dangerous to become Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).   Ellison (a/k/a Keith X. Ellison a/k/a Keith Hakim a/k/a Keith Ellison Muhammed) authored the article under his “Keith Hakim” pseudonym, during Ellison’s decade-long involvement as an activist and spokesman for the anti-Semitic white-hating Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.  (See “DNC Chair Candidate Proposed Making a Separate Country for Black Americans,” Fox News, Nov. 28, 2016; and “Louis Farrakhan’s First Congressman,” by Scott W. Johnson, Weekly Standard, Oct. 9, 2006.)  Ellison’s article also demanded that other races pay reparations to Black Americans – an oppressive and racially divisive demand that the “Black Lives Matter Platform” is currently making again today.

In addition, CNN’s recent review of Ellison’s writings and public statements from the late 1980s through the 1990s revealed and confirmed that:

• Ellison was involved with Farrakhan’s anti-Semitic Nation of Islam for a decade.

• Ellison wrote repeated columns and made repeated press statements falsely claiming that Louis Farrakhan (who referred to Judaism as a “gutter religion”) and other radical black leaders were not anti-Semitic.   In 1995, Ellison wrote: “Minister Farrakhan is a role model for black youth,” and “He is not an anti-Semite.”

•  In 1990, Kwame Ture [a/k/a Stokely Carmichael] stated during a speech at the University of Minnesota that Zionists collaborated with the Nazis in WWII, that  “the Zionists joined with the Nazis in murdering Jews, so they would flee to Palestine,” and that “Zionism must be destroyed.”  When the college president stated that he personally found Ture’s statements to be “deeply offensive,” Ellison wrote an article accusing the college president of chilling the free expression of black students, and argued that the college president “denounced Ture’s comment without offering any factual refutation of it,” and defended Ture’s right to question Zionism.  Ellison wrote:

“Concerning Zionism and Ture’s speech, the ASCC’s position is simply this: Whether one supports or opposes the establishment of Israel in Palestine and Israel’s present policies, Zionism, the ideological undergirding of Israel, is a debatable political philosophy. Anyone, including black people, has the right to hear and voice alternative views on the subject — notwithstanding our nominal citizenship. . . . Alternatively, the University’s position appears to be this: Political Zionism is off-limits no matter what dubious circumstances Israel was founded under; no matter what the Zionists do to the Palestinians; and no matter what wicked regimes Israel allies itself with — like South Africa. This position is untenable.”

•  In 2000, Ellison appeared at a fundraiser for domestic terrorist Sara Jane Olson, a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) (the violent group that kidnapped Patricia Hearst).  Olson was arrested for bombing two police cars and murdering a woman during a bank robbery.  Yet Ellison told the a press outlet that he believed Olson was being prosecuted because of her political speech, saying: “I’m a supporter of anybody who’s subject to political prosecution based on their being in a vilified group.  Your chances of getting a fair trial are low. I’ve been waiting for the evidence against her. I don’t think they would not cheat to prosecute this woman.” 

• CNN also reported that “Ellison also spoke favorably of convicted cop killer Assata Shakur and expressed his opposition to any attempt to extradite her to the United States from Cuba, where she had fled after escaping prison.”

(See “Rep. Keith Ellison faces renewed scrutiny over past ties to Nation of Islam, defense of anti-Semitic figures,” by Andrew Kaczynski, CNN, Dec. 1, 2016.)

As ZOA has previously pointed out, Ellison’s record of anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and anti-American statements and activities should also disqualify him from the DNC Chairmanship.

Ellison campaigned against and helped defeat a Jewish pro-Israel Democratic Congressman in a faraway district.  As head of the DNC, Ellison would have millions of dollars at his disposal to target and defeat pro-Israel Democrats throughout the country.  

Ellison has also persuaded other Democrats to join Ellison’s anti-Israel initiatives, including the infamous “Gaza 54” letter, which demanded that President Obama should pressure Israel to stop searching shipments going into Gaza for weapons.   Ellison would have enabled Hamas to obtain more rockets and other weapons to attack Israeli civilians. 

Ellison has also referred to Israel as an apartheid State; voted against Iron Dome funding (a vote to leave innocent Israelis at the mercy of Hamas rockets): worked to add anti-Israel planks and to purge pro-Israel planks from the Democratic national platform; defended Islamist organizations tied to Hamas on the House floor; compared 9-11 to the Reichstag German Parliament building fire which brought Hitler to power; and said that the U.S. should not kill a prominent al Qaeda leader because this would “reward” him with martyrdom.  (For details on Ellison’s horrendous record, see: “ZOA: Don’t Appoint Israel-Basher Cong. Keith Ellison Chair of the Democratic National Committee,” Nov. 18, 2016.) 

And on an audiotape of a fundraiser for Ellison’s reelection (hosted by a radical Islamist who praised Palestinians for choosing the “the jihad way . . . to liberate your land”), Ellison falsely accused Israel of controlling U.S. foreign policy – a classic anti-Semitic canard, and indicated his desire for “everything” to change so that the U.S. would no longer support Israel.   (Audiotape available at: “IPT Exclusive: In Private Fundraiser, Ellison Blasted Israeli Influence Over U.S. Policy,” by Steven Emerson, IPT News, Nov. 29, 2016.)

If he becomes DNC Chair, Ellison would have a powerful platform to spew his anti-Israel, anti-American attitudes, and to persuade other Democrats to join him in even more anti-Israel, anti-American and divisive efforts.

Many notable leaders – including Democratic Jewish liberals and a prominent Muslim reformer – have confirmed that Ellison would be a wrong and dangerous choice to head the DNC.  (See “ZOA: Former ADL Head Abe Foxman, Prof. Dershowitz, Assemblyman Hikind, Muslim Leader/Reformer Dr. Jasser: Keith Ellison Dangerous Choice to Chair DNC,” Nov. 28, 2016.)

Simply put, the evidence that anti-Semite Israel hater Ellison should not be elevated to DNC Chair is growing and overwhelming.