Ryan Nicol
U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida’s 22nd Congressional District is signing onto a letter asking the White House to deny credentials to TruNews, a media outlet that has repeatedly pushed anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
Two dozen members of the U.S. House also signed that letter. That group includes three additional members from Florida — U.S. Reps. Val Demings, Alcee Hastings and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
The letter targeted Rick Wiles, a Florida pastor who hosts a show on TruNews where he has made those anti-Semitic remarks.
“Mr. Wiles has a record of attacking Jews on his show and repeating deeply offensive and dangerous stereotypes against the Jewish community,” the letter reads.
During the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, Wiles dubbed those efforts a “Jew Coup.”
“That’s the way the Jews work. They are deceivers, they plot, they lie, they do whatever they have to do to accomplish their political agenda,” Wiles said in a clip highlighted by Right Wing Watch in November.
“This ‘Impeach Trump’ effort is a Jew coup and the American people better wake up to it really fast because this thing is moving now toward a vote in the House and then a trial in the Senate. We could have a trial before Christmas. This country could be in civil war at Christmastime. Members of the U.S. military are going to have to take a stand just like they did in the 1860s with the Civil War. They are going to have to decide: Are you fighting for the North or the South?”
In early December, Deutch joined with U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia asking for clarity on whether the outlet has access to the White House. The White House responded that TruNews was “not credentialed.”
But in January, Wiles hosted a broadcast for the outlet at the World Economic Forum in Davos. CNN’s Jack Tapper reported that TruNews appeared at the event thanks to credentials from the White House.
Wiles has also said there are Jewish “killer teams” in America that carry out mass shootings, among many other inflammatory remarks.
In his most recent letter to Trump, Deutch and other signatories contrasted that credential decision with recent attacks on the Jewish community.
“Since the December 10 letter, more tragedy has befallen the American Jewish community,” Deutch said.
“On the same day the letter was sent, shooters stormed a kosher grocery store in Jersey City, New Jersey and killed four people. On December 28, a man entered a Rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York and stabbed community members as they gathered to celebrate Chanukah. In addition, daily anti-Semitism in New York City and around the country has become far too commonplace.”
President Trump has chosen to take questions from TruNews reporters at press events. Donald Trump Jr. also bashed the impeachment push during a one-on-one interview with TruNews. Trump Jr. later said he was unaware of the outlet’s history.
“We reiterate our demand that the White House deny TruNews and other purveyors of hate access to the White House and Administration officials,” the members of Congress say in closing.
“Please share with us what steps will be taken to ensure extremist websites are not included on official White House press lists or invited to future White House events. President Trump and White House leaders should condemn these offensive statements and make clear that those who spread hateful messages will not be tolerated or welcomed by this Administration.”
