Apology issued for mailer criticized as anti-Semitic

A Republican candidate for state Senate in Connecticut apologized Wednesday for sending out a mailer that has been criticized as anti-Semitic.

Ed Charamut’s campaign staff posted a statement on social media, saying the mailer had “serious unintended consequences.”

It includes an image of his Democratic opponent, state Rep. Matthew Lesser, with cash in his hands and a maniacal look on his face. Lesser is Jewish.

“The entire campaign committee, which includes members of the Jewish community, never discussed or considered Mr. Lesser’s ethnicity, race, religion or any other personal characteristic of Mr. Lesser and it was never our intention for the mailer to be anything more than a reflection of Mr. Lesser’s policy record,” the campaign said. “However, it is clear now that the imagery could be interpreted as anti-Semitic, and for that we deeply apologize as hate speech of any kind does not belong in our society and especially not in our politics.”

The statement refers to Charamut in the third person. It indicates Charamut will remain in the race.

The message was posted on the Charamut campaign Facebook page, which also included a profile picture that was updated on Oct. 28 with a frame from the Campaign Against Antisemitism, which was released after the mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The frame has a Star of David made of interlocking arms of different colors and the hashtag “Together Against Antisemitism.”

Lesser said the flyer is overtly anti-Semitic. He said he has not been contacted by Charamut or state Republican leaders since the mailing went out.

“I’m not sure if there is anything he could do to undo the hurt that he has inflicted on my family, but also on a like number of people across the district, across the state and across the nation,” he said.

Charamut had defended the mailer, saying it was meant to draw a contrast between Lesser and his own fiscal conservatism.

“The mailer makes the point that if elected, Matt Lesser will undoubtedly vote to hike people’s taxes again and again,” Charamut said in a statement. “Those wishing to portray a graphic illustration as something hateful are completely wrong.”