NDP Chair Jane Kleeb today demanded that the Nebraska Republican Party and its GOP candidates and officeholders return all contributions received from TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, who was called out this week for a series of racist and anti-Muslim emails.
“Joe Ricketts makes huge donations to the Nebraska GOP and has given thousands of dollars to U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, Reps. Don Bacon, Adrian Smith and many other Republicans over the years,” Kleeb said. “The Nebraska GOP should return all of Joe Ricketts’ racist money and encourage its candidates and current officeholders to do the same.”
Ricketts, the billionaire father of Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, was forced to publicly apologize after The New York Times jeung toko média séjén wrote ngeunaan surelek anjeunna dikirim nu museurkeun a sieun Muslim jeung ngandung téori konspirasi ngeunaan urut Présidén Barack Obama, diantara hal séjén.
“Gov. Ricketts, who also has taken contributions from his father, has tried to distance himself from his father’s comments, saying he pointed out in the email exchanges that some of the statements were not true,” Kleeb said. “However, the Republicans cannot say on the one hand they think the comments are awful while continuing to take Joe Ricketts’ money to fund their campaigns with the other.”
Dina hiji email, Ricketts nyerat yén "Kristen sareng Yahudi tiasa saling hormat pikeun nyiptakeun masarakat sipil," tapi "Islam henteu tiasa ngalakukeun éta." Anjeunna teras nyerat yén, "urang moal tiasa ngantepkeun Islam janten bagian ageung tina masarakat urang," sareng yén "Muslim sacara alami musuh (urang) kuring."
“America was founded on the principle of freedom of religion, as afforded in the Constitution,” Kleeb said. “Apparently, Joe Ricketts doesn’t believe what our founders did.”
Anjeunna ogé rutin nunjukkeun yén anjeunna amused ku guyonan rasialis dikirimkeun ka anjeunna ku batur, deeming salah mana punchline mangrupa slur ras janten "seuri hébat," nurutkeun kana. Washington Post.
On a related note, the Omaha World-Herald reported Wednesday that Creighton University announced that it will no longer include Joe Ricketts in a university event honoring accomplished alumni, citing the email scandal.
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