ADL (“the Anti-Defamation League”) condemned comments recently posted on Facebook by two Republican Party officials in Delaware.
Rowe, New Castle County Republican party chair, posted an anti-gay slur on his personal Facebook page, and later defended his use of the word in a post on the official Facebook page of the GOP of New Castle County. Rowe later resigned and issued an apology.
Another Delaware GOP official, Sussex County Republican Party Vice-Chairwoman Nelly Jordan, according to published posts mentioned anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and used disparaging language about Jews. Jordan’s status with the party is unknown.
At the same time, ADL praised Delaware GOP leadership for their strong response to these posts. Delaware Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Brady issued a statement rejecting both officials’ comments, announcing Rowe’s resignation and calling on Jordan “to make a choice of either resigning or going through a process to seek her removal.” The Delaware State House of Representatives Republican Caucus leadership also released a statement disavowing these posts and demanding apologies and resignations from both officials. In addition, other local GOP lawmakers made statements denouncing the posts.
“We forcefully condemn the hateful Facebook posts made by two Republican Party officials in Delaware,” said Robin Burstein, ADL’s senior associate regional director. “Anti-Semitism, anti-LGBT bigotry and all forms of hate are un-American, and have no place in our political parties. We applaud the Delaware Republican Party, the Delaware State House of Representatives Republican Caucus and individual Republican state lawmakers for showing courage and character in strongly rejecting this hateful sentiment, and for taking meaningful action to demonstrate that the Delaware GOP will not tolerate bigotry.”
