Walker cancels fundraiser with supporter who had swastika in her Twitter profile



POLITICAL INSIDER

By*Greg Bluestein, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Oct 13, 2021

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker canceled a fundraiser with a conservative film producer who until Wednesday used a rendering of a swastika as her Twitter profile picture.

Walker’s campaign said in a statement that the event at the Texas home of*Bettina Sofia Viviano-Langlais*has been “called off,” hours after the campaign initially contended the symbol wasn’t a swastika but a sign of opposition to vaccine requirements.

The candidate had come under heated criticism after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution*reported details*of the fundraiser hosted by*Viviano-Langlais, who long featured a set of syringes arranged in a swastika as her Twitter profile picture. The Nazi symbol, which she removed shortly after the*story published, is being used by some opponents of vaccine requirements in Texas.

Walker’s campaign spokeswoman early Wednesday said the swastika is “clearly an anti-mandatory vaccination graphic.” In another statement hours later, the campaign disavowed Viviano-Langlais’ usage of the symbol and said Walker opposed antisemitism and bigotry “in all forms.”

“Despite the fact that the apparent intent behind the graphic was to condemn government vaccine mandates,” the campaign said, “the symbol used is very offensive and does not reflect the values of Herschel Walker or his campaign.”


https://www.ajc.com/politics/politic...CJVTRPEWQBC7Q/