(This was featured in the Phoenix paper, but not in Tucson where Kelly is running)
Nazi accusations roil Arizona campaign
8 commentsby Kasie Hunt - Oct. 18, 2010 09:45 AM
POLITICO.COM

Democrats are accusing Arizona GOP congressional candidate Jesse Kelly of "Nazi ties" because he accepted an endorsement from a controversial anti-immigration group — and Kelly's campaign is responding with equal fury, saying there is a "special place in hell" for people who make allegations of anti-Semitism.


"The media is now attempting to portray Jesse Kelly as an anti-Semite. These lies are being joined by a rumor mill all too quick to spread in the political world we live in. As a practicing Jew, I am absolutely disgusted," Kelly campaign manager Adam Kwasman told POLITICO. Kelly is running against two-term Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona's 8th District.

"There is a special place in hell for those who propagate terrible lies in order to clench to power and subject this nation to ever-growing governmental control over our lives and liberties. There is a special place in hell for those who would slander combat veterans who would have gladly been mutilated, subjected to chemical weapons and killed in defense of our freedom," Kwasman said.

Kwasman posted his full statement to his Facebook page shortly after speaking with POLITICO.

At issue is an endorsement from the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, or ALIPAC, an anti-immigration group that Arizona Sen. John McCain's spokesman condemned as "backed by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and anti-Semites" after it endorsed McCain's primary opponent, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth. A Monday story in The Hill newspaper pointed out the ties.

National Democrats seized on the news. "Another [National Republican Congressional Committee] Young Gun candidate, another Nazi tie — it should come as no surprise," said Andy Stone, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a press release Monday morning. Stone was referring to Rich Iott, an Ohio GOP congressional candidate who has dressed as a Nazi in World War II reenactments and is a member of the NRCC's program to advance candidates in competitive districts.

"Jesse Kelly should be strong enough to stand up a group backed by anti-Semites and white supremacists. But so far, he just hasn't shown the political courage," Stone said.

In response, Kwasman said: "The DCCC is disgusting and will do anything to win. I demand a retraction immediately."

Kwasman is also demanding a retraction from The Hill and an immediate condemnation from Giffords.

Giffords's campaign declined to do so. "If they want to demand a condemnation from the Anti-Defamation League, their phone number is widely available," Giffords campaign manager Rodd McLeod told POLITICO.

The ADL, a nonpartisan group originally founded to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry, has pointed to extremist groups' support for ALIPAC. "White supremacists and anti-Semites have promoted the group by engaging in activity on its behalf and posting links to ALIPAC's Web site on their own Web sites and forum," the ADL wrote in a 2009 press release on the group.

The ADL names Stormfront, Vinlanders Social Club, and European Americans United — white supremacist groups — among ALIPAC supporters.

"I think Adam Kwasman has to really spend some time thinking about what kind of groups he and his campaign accept the endorsement from, because I would say that the ADL is a widely respected, nonpartisan organization. If they say that ALIPAC has a problem with extremism, maybe Adam Kwasman should start thinking about that," McLeod said.

The Arizona Republic is a member of the Politico Network.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z12jZ2v0ML