Republican Jewish Coalition, Home Depot Founder Back Stephen K. Bannon

The Republican Jewish Coalition issued a statement Tuesday supporting Stephen K. Bannon, who has been falsely accused of antisemitism since his appointment Sunday as President-elect Donald J. Trump’s Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor.

The statement, issued in the name of Republican Jewish Coalition board member Bernie Marcus, who is the co-founder of Home Depot, reads as follows (original emphasis):

Statement by RJC Board Member Bernie Marcus on Steve Bannon

I have known Steve Bannon for many years. I have been shocked and saddened to see the recent personal attacks on Steve. Nothing could be further from the truth. The person that is being demonized in the media is not the person I know. These attacks on Steve are nothing more than an attempt to undermine the incoming Trump Administration. I have known Steve to be a passionate Zionist and supporter of Israel who felt so strongly about this that he opened a Breitbart office in Israel to ensure that the true pro-Israel story would get out. What is being done to Steve Bannon is a shonda.

“Shonda” is a Yiddish word for “shame,” or “scandal.”

Bannon has been vigorously defended by colleagues, employees and even enemies against the false charge of antisemitism.

The Anti-Defamation League, which purports to fight unfair prejudice, issued the following statement — replete with false accusations against Bannon and Breitbart News:

“It is a sad day when a man who presided over the premier website of the Alt Right, a loose-knit group of white nationalists and unabashed anti-Semites and racists – is slated to be a senior staff member in the ‘people’s house,’ said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “We call on President-elect Trump to appoint and nominate Americans committed to the well-being of all our country’s people and who exemplify the values of pluralism and tolerance that makes our country great.”

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. His new book, See No Evil: 19 Hard Truths the Left Can’t Handle, is available from Regnery through Amazon. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.