Judging by Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart’s campaign website, you might think that he is running against George Soros — the billionaire Jewish philanthropist who’s become a worldwide lightning rod for anti-Semitic groups, white supremacists and conspiracy theorists, but who has no apparent connection to the county clerk’s duties or to any current Harris County race.
“Make NO mistake,” begins the main article on re-elect.stanstanart.com. “George Soros wants to control Harris County Elections and Stan Stanart is in his way…. There are many more Flag Waving, defenders of the Constitution then [sic] those who support Soros’ world views, but remember ‘All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.’”
The page unnerves observers attuned to historic attacks on Jews — particularly in light of the past two weeks, in which a Trump supporter sent a pipe bomb to Soros’ house, and a conspiracy-theory-fueled neo-Nazi gunman killed 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
Stanart’s focus on Soros is “clearly a dog whistle,” said Houston voter Rachel Dvoretzky, who discovered Stanart’s website last week via a discussion on Facebook. “It’s red meat for a wave of anti-Semitism that’s infecting American public discourse right now.”
The Anti-Defamation League noted earlier in October that Soros had become the focus of “outsized conspiracy theories, including claims that he masterminds specific global plots or manipulates particular events to further his goals. Many of those conspiracy theories employ longstanding anti-Semitic myths, particularly the notion that rich and powerful Jews work behind the scenes, plotting to control countries and manipulate global events.”
That’s part of a rising tide of anti-Semitism, which had been growing fast even before the past week’s violence. According to the ADL, in 2017, the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. surged 57 percent.
Stanart, for his part, said there’s no anti-Semitic intent behind his website. “Are you serious?” he shouted on the phone. “Are you serious?”
Asked about the ADL statement decrying conspiracy theories related to Soros, Stanart called it “B.S.! Big B.S.! He meddles in lots of races across the U.S. It has nothing to do with religion.”
I’m going to pay Stanart the compliment of taking it as a given that he’s not too stupid to grasp why the obsession that people like him have with George Soros is stinkingly anti-Semitic. Thankfully, Stanart is apparently able to be shamed (eventually), so there you have it, two nice things I can say about the man. Not much else to say beyond that except that all decent people should vote him out of office.
While a majority of voters may not know Soros religious affiliation, there is no doubt that Soros is well known to the Trump/Republican base of evil critters.
I do apologize to critters for using them as reference.
I totally disagree with Soros politics. It has nothing to do with his religion. Does that mean I don’t like people of the Jewish Faith?
Disagree with the man all you want.
It’s when you make up and spread stories about how rich Jews are buying an election in which they’re not at all involved (or funding an ISIS caravan of invaders) that you’re calling out the anti-Semites. Even that wouldn’t make you a bigot, but it would make you a disgusting race-baiting cretin who’s trying to appeal to Nazis.
Paul,
What do you object about Soros’ support for
1) human rights
2) stopping genocide
3) protecting refugees
Is it that someone Gay or not white or not evangelical might be protected?
The people who dislike Soros do so because he supports freedom and is Jewish. Many of them, if not all of them, dont like Jews either.
Soros is a minor player here. The only reason to even be concerned with him is to use his Jewish faith to attack him for speaking out. In other words
Yes, if you highlight Soros, yes youre doing the work of anti semites and neo nazis. Including furthering the propaganda of the Pittsburgh terrorist.
Not surprised.
Soros spent at least $1.4 million in Harris County just two years ago to successfully defeat a county-wide elected Republican official in Harris County. Stanart is shrill, but he is not a wide-eyed conspiracy theorist to be concerned that he could be targeted in the same way. Until this week, I had no idea that Soros was considered Jewish, and I am fairly active in Republican politics. News articles routinely refer to him as Hungarian-born or a billionaire, but I don’t recall any mention in the past to his religious heritage.
That’s the most ridiculous and unfounded accusation I have heard yet. All the Republicans, Evangelicals, and Tea Party types that I know are huge supporters of Israel and the Jewish people. Just because someone doesn’t like a particular person does not mean it has anything to do with their religion. I doubt that most people even know what religion Soros is.
Mainstream…So Jews cant donate in an DA race? Is that why youre upset with Soros? But far right fundamentalists like Foster Friess can donate all they want right?
Sue, the lies about Soros have been peddled by Russian and Hungarian neo Nazis for years. Then peddled by American Nazis. And now by the Pittsburgh terrorist and Stan Stanart.
Everyone knows that Soros is Jewish.
Futher attacks on Soros….and youre just rewarding the Pittsburgh terrorist
If you dont like what Soros has to say, youre free to get your plutocrats to rebut it. If you dont like our campaign finance system, vote Democrat to change it.
Why would a person who lives in New York contribute over a million dollars to the Harris County DA race unless there was an ulterior motive?
The ulterior motive being criminal justice reform.
LOL! Randomly tossing out the anti-Semite card doesn’t work any better than the misogynist or racist cards.
Trump’s bona fides with his Jewish family and fealty to Israel crush that narrative. The Pittsburgh shooter hated Trump BECAUSE of his Jewish ties and pro-Israel positions.
Soros is a bad guy because he trades in misery. He shorts stock, then spends his money trying to make those stocks go down. It’s why he backed Hillary. When Trump won, he lost bigly because the market went up.
Tom in Lazybrook, the people I know really don’t focus on what religion someone is, that seems to be a Democrat hangup. If religion was all that mattered, the fact that Soros is Jewish would actually be a positive. Why don’t you expand your universe and get out and meet some of these Republicans? They aren’t the racists you like to paint them as. I have friends on both sides of the aisle, none of them are racists or anti-Jewish. We have different views on politics and the role of government, but at the end of the day, we’re respectful towards different viewpoints. I’m no fan of Stanart, but I can tell you that he is not a neo-Nazi or against the Jewish people. That’s just completely ludicrous. Hard to take people seriously when they spout off untruths like this.
Mainstream, exactly, I knew he was Hungarian and very, very wealthy, nothing about his religion. The Evangelical, Trump supporting people I know routinely pray for Israel every week. Still laughing over this 🙂
“Soros is a bad guy because he trades in misery. He shorts stock, then spends his money trying to make those stocks go down.”
We have a President whose family appears to have gamed the system for decades, engaging in all sorts of financial shenanigans in order to avoid paying taxes or paying them at incredibly reduced rates, and has a son in law that may well be downright crooked, but G. Soros is a bad guy because he’s gaming the stock market ?
C.L.
The difference between the two men is clear. One spent a lifetime building something, and wants the USA to succeed. The other wants to rule over the ashes after destroying the USA.
No matter how hard you try to argue otherwise, Bill, 2 + 2 still equals 4.
If youre peddling the Soros is a threat meme…youre peddling the same claptrap that the Pittsburgh terrorist does. And you can hear it from Hungarian and Russian fascists too.
This international Jewish conspiracy garbage has been around forever.
And Stanart is parrotting the Pittsburgh terrorist.
Evangelical/Republicans support Israel because they want the world to end so they can go to heaven. I think those people are in for a big surprise when they wind up asking for water. Maybe you’ll will get there the same way the dinosaurs got in Noah’s Ark.
Ross why do the Koch Brothers spend so much in Texas politics, you are showing your lack of objectivity when you only look at one side and not the other. Maybe Ross he is a caring man and puts his money in what he believes? I do the same when I contribute to candidates or charities, he just has a lot more money than I do.
Sue do you paddle the same bull to everyone? If you, you will find that most people that tend to not be “Conservative” are educated and knowledgeable so your alternative facts fail.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/05/14/half-of-evangelicals-support-israel-because-they-believe-it-is-important-for-fulfilling-end-times-prophecy/?utm_term=.f02ae9b1628a
Come on now Manny, I know you can do it, show a little R.E. S. P.E.C.T. towards others with different view points.
Come on Sue why not critize your President for saying so many ugly things about women, Latinos, Muslims, Jews, etc.
Sue, why do you only care about white people, mostly white male nationalists racists?
Come on Sue show us you can do that care about children being snatched from their parents and put in cages.
Come on Sue show us that you care that some of those children are not being joined back with their parents, but instead being put up for adoption.
Come on Sue you can do it, you can be human, try it.
First post needed some corrections, I was on my first cup of coffee.
Come on Sue why not criticize your President for saying so many ugly things about women, Latinos, Muslims, Jews, etc.
Sue, why do you seem to care only about white people, mostly white male nationalists who are racists and bigots?
Come on Sue show us you can do that, care about children being snatched from their parents and put in cages.
Come on Sue show us that you care that some of those children are not being sent back their parents, but instead are being put up for adoption.
Come on Sue you can do it, you can be human, try it. Even Trump lovers can be H.U.M.A.N., I think.
If people that adore the things you do can learn be human, I can show respect for differing views.
The Roseanne defense, I’m too ignorant to be racist.
@Bill… “One spent a lifetime building something, and wants the USA to succeed. The other wants to rule over the ashes after destroying the USA.” ???
Oh Bill, Trump won’t be ruling over anything after his attempts to destroy America fail.
C.L. exactly. 🙂
Manny, I am critical of the Koch family, but hate writing more than a sentence when I am on my phone.
My dislike of Soros has nothing to do with his religion, ethnicity, hair color, etc, and everything to do with his lack of transparency (a failing the Kochs share) and his belief that government is the only solution to every problem.
Ross I don’t know what is in Soros heart, but he supports democracy, I will provide one link only
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/business/george-soros-open-society-foundations.html
Anti-Semitism or not, trying to influence voters by saying George Soros is an “evil” mastermind who controls the Democratic Party is crass move. Sure,
guys like him and the Koch brothers seek to influence the outcomes of elections by spending large amounts of money, but influence is different from control. Shame on Stanart for saying democracy is in peril if Democrats win.