Tennessee Republican Senator Frank Nicely is under fire for saying that only former President Donald Trump’s Jewish family members care about the removal of Morgan Ortagus from the Republican congressional ballot.
Ortagus, who worked under Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and has spoken about her conversion to Judaism, was among three candidates who were removed from the ballot by the state GOP. Nicely, who sponsored a recently passed bill that would have barred Ortagus from running if it had passed before the April 7 filing deadline, told NBC News that he didn’t “think Trump cares one way or the other” about Ortagus being kicked off the ballot. “I think Jared Kushner — he’s Jewish, she’s Jewish — I think Jared will be upset,” he said. “Ivanka [Trump] will be upset. I don’t think Trump cares.”
Ortagus condemned Nicely’s remarks in a statement. “Anti-Semitism is the oldest and one of the most vile forms of hatred on this earth, and Senator Niceley should be ashamed of his repeated anti-Semitic rhetoric,” she said. “I am incredibly proud to call myself a part of the Jewish people, and I have always called out anti-Semitism when I see it in all of its forms. I will condemn anyone who traffics in this hate-mongering. Senator Niceley’s repulsive words could not be more clear in disparaging the Jewish people. This racism cannot stand.”
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, “Whether or not you agree with all of her policy positions, to question @MorganOrtagus’s credibility as a candidate because she’s Jewish is offensive and wrong. There’s no excuse for this type of blatant bias in any political party.”
Whether or not you agree with all of her policy positions, to question @MorganOrtagus's credibility as a candidate because she's Jewish is offensive and wrong. There's no excuse for this type of blatant bias in any political party. https://t.co/0Dqv3UVByn
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) April 21, 2022
The Republican Jewish Coalition also denounced Nicely’s remarks, tweeting that “Niceley’s attack on @MorganOrtagus reeks of antisemitism.” “His inference that only the Jews around President Trump care about Morgan Ortagus because she’s Jewish herself reveals a dark side that has no place in Republican politics,” they added.
TN State Senator Frank Niceley’s attack on @MorganOrtagus reeks of antisemitism. His inference that only the Jews around President Trump care about Morgan Ortagus because she’s Jewish herself reveals a dark side that has no place in Republican politics.@mbrooksrjc @normcoleman https://t.co/2QcZbBGDD5
— RJC (@RJC) April 20, 2022
Townhall’s Katie Pavlich tweeted that Nicely’s comments were “really vile.” “Morgan *earned* Trump’s endorsement by implementing his America First policies on the international stage when the stakes were high,” Pavlich wrote. “That’s what his endorsement is about and Niceley’s invocation of her shared faith is really despicable.”
Wow. Really vile stuff from Sen. Niceley. Morgan *earned* Trump’s endorsement by implementing his America First policies on the international stage when the stakes were high. That’s what his endorsement is about and Niceley’s invocation of her shared faith is really despicable. https://t.co/EmaFxGIweP
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) April 20, 2022
Washington Free Beacon reporter Adam Kredo tweeted, “Ah yes, Jews back other Jews because it’s an obvious conspiracy organized by… Jews.”
Ah yes, Jews back other Jews because it’s an obvious conspiracy organized by… Jews🤷🏻 https://t.co/j5SaXGedk7
— Adam Kredo (@Kredo0) April 20, 2022
Nicely issued a statement on April 20 addressing the matter, saying that “a fake news reporter” took his “comments out of context in order to manufacture a controversy to distract people from the fact that Morgan Ortagus was declared ineligible for the ballot by both the Tennessee Republican Party and the General Assembly.” “Let me be clear: I have nothing but respect for the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” Nicely said. “Attempting to construe my off-hand comments about the Trump family as anti-Semitism is unfair and inaccurate.”
Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, a Republican, told the Tennessee Lookout that Nicely’s “comments were clearly insensitive” and that he needs to be “be more careful about his words going forward.”
Nicely had previously made headlines for saying in an April 13 legislature session on a bill addressing homelessness that Adolf Hitler was homeless for two years before leading “a life that got him in the history books.” He argued that this meant that the homeless “can come out of these homeless camps and have a productive life, or in Hitler’s case, a very unproductive life.”
