Jewish leaders urge House Democrats to dismiss top campaign aide who praised notorious antisemitic figure.

A Jewish group is urging a House Democrat seeking the Senate seat to cut ties with his campaign adviser who attended a conference hosted by a notorious antisemitic figure and shared a photo of himself grinning alongside him on social media.

Liora Rez, Founder and Executive Director of Stop Antisemitism, criticized Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., for employing political staff who associate with Louis Farrakhan in a statement to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"Farrakhan has been denouncing Jews and Judaism in the most vile, disgusting, and radical terms for decades," she said. "It is concerning that Rep. Slotkin, with her extensive experience in counterterrorism, intelligence, and international security, was unaware of her advisor's connection to Farrakhan."

"Rep. Slotkin must remove this individual from her orbit and make it clear that hate has no place in her Senate campaign, while also implementing thorough vetting processes. Furthermore, the press should investigate how the Congresswoman became affiliated with such a radical individual."

In 2017, Terra DeFoe, Slotkin's deputy political director, shared on Facebook that she had a "full week" of "supporting the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan" at the Nation of Islam's "Saviours' Day Convention."

A photo posted by DeFoe featured Farrakhan and a grinning Mike Duggan, the Detroit mayor who was lauded by President Biden at the NAACP dinner this month, alongside Nation of Islam members.

From July 2023 to March 2024, DeFoe received nearly $60,000 from Slotkin's campaign for various payments, including salary, stipends, and reimbursements, according to FEC records reviewed by Planet Chronicle Digital. The most recent disbursements from March 2024 are reflected in the most recent public filings, so the total amount is likely to increase when July's report is released.

Farrakhan has been highly controversial in the US due to his comparison of Jewish people to termites, praise of Hitler as a "great man," and other derogatory comments about Israel.

Farrakhan has been accused of antisemitism and homophobia since he took leadership of the Nation of Islam in the late 1970s.

The slave trade, Jim Crow, and black oppression in general have been attributed to Jews by Farrakhan.

Brooke Goldstein, a human rights attorney and CEO of the Lawfare Project and founder of the End Jew Hatred Movement, stated on Planet Chronicle Digital that support for Jewish hatred, like support for other forms of bigotry and racism, cannot be tolerated in today's world.

"It is unacceptable that anyone supports Louis Farrakhan's hateful rhetoric, but it is even more concerning that individuals like Terra DeFoe, who hold positions of trust and authority among elected officials, are capable of causing significant harm to our core value of equality under the law."

"Goldstein stated that it should be uncomfortable for Democrats that Michigan political operatives like DeFoe and politicians like Tlaib to openly attend antisemitic events, but it isn't. Additionally, Goldstein pointed out that Elissa Slotkin has not yet fired DeFoe, indicating a shocking level of comfort with Jewish-hatred for an elected official who is both Jewish and has called on universities to take more steps to ensure student safety."

Goldstein urged Slotkin to "immediately terminate Defoe's employment" to demonstrate her commitment to equality under the law, as she is Jewish.

"Elected representatives like Slotkin should not provide equivocation or justification for their actions, and the same applies to inaction. The failure to impose consequences on blatant anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism will have a significant impact on Election Day."

Currently, Slotkin is campaigning as a Democrat to be elected to the U.S. Senate to represent Michigan.

Slotkin's office and campaign did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment.