Literal actual Nazi running as Republican congressman in IL

[Mormolyce]

Holocaust denier poised to claim GOP nomination in Illinois race for Congress

Arthur Jones — an outspoken Holocaust denier, activist anti-Semite and white supremacist — is poised to become the Republican nominee for an Illinois congressional seat representing parts of Chicago and nearby suburbs.

“Well first of all, I’m running for Congress not the chancellor of Germany. All right. To me the Holocaust is what I said it is: It’s an international extortion racket,” Jones told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Indeed, Jones’ website for his latest congressional run includes a section titled “The ‘Holocaust Racket’” where he calls the genocide carried out by the German Nazi regime and collaborators in other nations “the biggest blackest lie in history.”

Jones, 70, a retired insurance agent who lives in suburban Lyons, has unsuccessfully run for elected offices in the Chicago area and Milwaukee since the 1970s.

He ran for Milwaukee mayor in 1976 and 13th Ward alderman on Chicago’s Southwest Side in 1987.

Since the 1990s to 2016, Jones has jumped in the GOP 3rd Congressional District primary seven times, never even close to becoming a viable contender.

The outcome will be different for Jones in the Illinois primary on March 20, 2018.

To Jones’ own amazement, he is the only one on the Republican ballot.

“And given the fact that I’ve got no opposition in the primary, OK, I win that one (the primary) by default all right,” Jones said during an interview in a coffee shop in Lyons.

That leaves Illinois Republicans saddled with a nominee who is well known for his racist and white supremacist activities.

Tim Schneider, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, said in a statement to the Sun-Times, “The Illinois Republican Party and our country have no place for Nazis like Arthur Jones. We strongly oppose his racist views and his candidacy for any public office, including the 3rd Congressional District.”

Jones told the Sun-Times he is a former leader of the American Nazi Party and now heads a group called the America First Committee. “Membership in this organization is open to any white American citizen of European, non-Jewish descent,” he said.

The Anti-Defamation League has been keeping tabs on him for years.

“Arthur Jones, who proudly displays Holocaust denial, xenophobia and racism on his blog and website, has a long history of hateful, extremist and anti-Semitic views,” said Lonnie Nasatir, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Chicago-Upper Midwest Region.

“For example, in 2009, he protested the opening of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, and continues to espouse absurd conspiracy theories questioning the deaths of millions of Jews.

“He has spoken publicly at numerous neo-Nazi rallies and events, expressing xenophobic policies based in racial and religious hatred. He is, by every definition, an anti-Semite and unrepentant bigot.”

In November, Jones will face either Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., a Western Springs resident, or Lipinski’s Democratic primary challenger, Marie Newman from La Grange.

Jones will almost certainly be defeated in November. That’s because the 3rd Congressional District is one of the most heavily Democratic in the state.

The district sweeps in the old Chicago Democratic machine wards of 11, 13, 14, 19 and 23 and meanders through a corridor to wide swathes of southwest suburban turf. The district was drawn to protect Lipinski, whose father, William — a former congressman — is close to House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, who is also the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

How did this happen?

• Republicans didn’t bother to muster a credible candidate because the district is so Democratic. There is always a debate if parties should recruit candidates to run races they are highly likely to lose.

• Jones could not be knocked off the ballot.

In 2016, Jones was removed from the 3rd District GOP ballot in legal actions engineered by the Illinois Republican Party.

Records show that John Fogarty Jr., the general counsel for the Illinois GOP, handled the objections to Jones 2016 nominating petitions filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Once Jones was removed from the ballot because his petitions were faulty, Lipinski ran unopposed in the 2016 contest.

By 2018, Jones took his petitions door to door himself and took greater care to have valid signatures.

An official with the Illinois Republican Party said Fogarty was directed to determine if Jones could be thrown off the 2018 ballot.

Fogarty examined Jones’ petitions Dec. 5 and Dec. 8. This time around, Jones’ signatures appeared valid, so the Illinois GOP did not pursue legal action. Neither did anyone else.

Jerry Hurckes, the treasurer for the Lipinski campaign, looked at the petitions on Dec. 4, the records show.

Tim Mapes, Madigan’s government chief of staff and executive director of the state Democratic party, viewed Jones petitions on Dec. 6.

In 1998, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune, when Jones was running in the 3rd Congressional District primary, “the Cook County Central Committee passed a resolution . . . formally denouncing his candidacy” concerned that if he was nominated, it would be a “national embarrassment” for Cook County Republicans.

Last spring in Pikeville, Kentucky, Jones spoke to a National Socialist Movement gathering. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, said it is one of the “most prominent neo-Nazi groups in the United States.”

In a few weeks, Jones almost certainly will be a GOP nominee. But he doesn’t plan on seeking support from Illinois’ Republican governor — or the Republican president of the United States.

Jones said in his Pikeville address, according to a video on YouTube, he was sorry he voted for President Donald Trump, who has “surrounded himself with hordes of Jews” including his Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner.

As for Gov. Bruce Rauner, also on the March ballot, Jones told the Sun-Times, “I would not lower myself to ask Bruce Rauner to campaign for me or vote for me.”

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ho...pinski-newman/

I can't wait for the usual suspects to rationalise this one.

Of course this is a safe blue seat so fat chance of a win, the Republicans aren't even bothering to contest it. Is the GOP unable to refuse people the Republican endorsement?

P.S. It's really sad that I have to put this one in the "Politics" subforum...

[PosPosPos]

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ho...pinski-newman/

I can't wait for the usual suspects to rationalise this one.

Of course this is a safe blue seat so fat chance of a win, the Republicans aren't even bothering to contest it. Is the GOP unable to refuse people the Republican endorsement?

P.S. It's really sad that I have to put this one in the "Politics" subforum...

Too bad he's not campaigning in a red heavy state, just to see the walkover he would get.

[beanman12345]

The RNC backed a pro-slavery pedophile, I don't know if the RNC is backing this guy, but it'd be par the course. They probably won't since it's un-winnable, but if it was winnable, they'd totally back him.

[PosPosPos]

The RNC backed a pro-slavery pedophile, I don't know if the RNC is backing this guy, but it'd be par the course. They probably won't since it's un-winnable, but if it was winnable, they'd totally back him.

I think you put too much faith into the RNC knowing what is winnable and not.

They and Trump had a lot of alternative winning this past year.

[Elegiac]

Why vote for a lesser evil, after all?

Honestly, I take this more as a sign that moderates are abandoning the GOP; meaning of course the ratbag crazies get in by default.

[NYC17]

Why vote for a lesser evil, after all?

Honestly, I take this more as a sign that moderates are abandoning the GOP; meaning of course the ratbag crazies get in by default.

Yea, unless a nutjob is an an area they can be beaten by someone reasonable, it's a concerning trend. I suppose the ideais that if nutjobs are winning in those areas it stands to reason that moderates or the opposition party is winning everywhere else, but that's a tough assumption to make.

[jimboa24]

Why vote for a lesser evil, after all?

Honestly, I take this more as a sign that moderates are abandoning the GOP; meaning of course the ratbag crazies get in by default.

There are some areas where voting moderates are either nonexistent or so slim a margin they're not worth spending money trying to win over. Illinois, especially around Chicago, is so deep blue that scenarios like this are frequently coming up where Republicans (or Democrats in deep red states) aren't even bothering to put up a token runner, and why should they? That's time, effort and money that's better spent elsewhere.

The same is true of certain red state areas. The idea of one party not even bothering to challenge the other with an opposing candidate is nothing new. Also, the more polarised the country becomes politically, the more moderates start to disappear entirely in places already defined as either reliably blue or red.

[cubby]

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ho...pinski-newman/

I can't wait for the usual suspects to rationalise this one.

Of course this is a safe blue seat so fat chance of a win, the Republicans aren't even bothering to contest it. Is the GOP unable to refuse people the Republican endorsement?

P.S. It's really sad that I have to put this one in the "Politics" subforum...

Should be interesting to read their rationalization for this one. I believe Holocaust Denial is an infractible offense - as it should be.

That is another interesting question - why shouldn't the GOP be able to just refuse their endorsement, and therefore no show for the primary ticket.

It really is - thanks GOP! More deplorableness for the Deplorable Party.

p.s. do you think Trump will throw an outside the district i'm-not-really-endorsing-him endorsement fund raiser?

#deplorable45

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The RNC backed a pro-slavery pedophile, I don't know if the RNC is backing this guy, but it'd be par the course. They probably won't since it's un-winnable, but if it was winnable, they'd totally back him.

I don't know what's worse, that the RNC backed the pro-slavery pedophile, or that he almost won.

[FeedsOnDevTears]

[Travis B]

I'm sure he would make a very fine congressman.

[Breccia]

[I can't wait for the usual suspects to rationalise this one.

Good luck with that. "It doesn't matter that the GOP is literally fielding a holocaust denier and Nazi, because the district is unwinnable" is a defense so ethically dangerous, it's not just selling your soul it's demanding a higher interest rate when you collect the payments.

[Mormolyce]

There are some areas where voting moderates are either nonexistent or so slim a margin they're not worth spending money trying to win over. Illinois, especially around Chicago, is so deep blue that scenarios like this are frequently coming up where Republicans (or Democrats in deep red states) aren't even bothering to put up a token runner, and why should they? That's time, effort and money that's better spent elsewhere.

The same is true of certain red state areas. The idea of one party not even bothering to challenge the other with an opposing candidate is nothing new. Also, the more polarised the country becomes politically, the more moderates start to disappear entirely in places already defined as either reliably blue or red.

That all makes perfect sense, the thing I want to know is - how did he get the Republican nomination? How does it actually work - I presume this is down to each party's bylaws? Is there some reason they can't remove embarrassing candidates like this from the Republican ticket?

[Breccia]

how did he get the Republican nomination?

Like you said, probably because the GOP's rules mean, if only one person is willing to run red, they run him, even if he's a Nazi.

[DarkTZeratul]

Is there some reason they can't remove embarrassing candidates like this from the Republican ticket?

Google has so far failed to answer this, but I am quite curious about the answer.

[mvaliz]

Google has so far failed to answer this, but I am quite curious about the answer.

There is a very easy way to do so, have practically ANYBODY who is not a Nazi run against him for the job.

Hell, I was going to joke that a Democrat should join the Republican ticket just on principle to win over him - but that almost seems like a real strategy! :P

I'll have to talk to some friends I have in that district. Shocking (in a hysterical way) that this is happening to a county so near me. We're almost totally blue in my area, save for a few batshit extremist loonies.

[announced]

kinda funny, but also kinda sad to see an actual Nazi run in Illinois. not like he'd win though since its been blue forever.

[pathora44]

God bless the soul of John Belushi that beautiful man knew what was going on.

[jimboa24]

That all makes perfect sense, the thing I want to know is - how did he get the Republican nomination? How does it actually work - I presume this is down to each party's bylaws? Is there some reason they can't remove embarrassing candidates like this from the Republican ticket?

No one stops you from registering to vote as a Democrat or as identifying as a Democrat even if you're a batshit insane ultra diehard communist. My guess is that when you run for office in that county, you run as the party that you are registered to (like how Bernie Sanders had to register as a Democrat in order to run as one), and if no one else is running as a Republican, then he probably got the "nomination" simply by default of being the only registered Republican running.

[Macaquerie]

Arthur Jones deserves more credit than half the GOP, at least he's transparent about what he actually is instead of pretending like he is shafting the rest of us for our own good.

[Deleted]

He would be in jail here in my country, for having those opinions and stating them publicly. I prefer the American System by far: Just let him talk and talk, and talk... and destroy their own arguments themselves.

Over-acting to a provocateur is exactly what they want, calling him all kind of names, playing the shaming game and getting even more attention is the reaction they except, and hope for. Not giving him the typical outrage is the best course of action.

Also, Ridicule, clever Satire and Humor works surprisingly well in exposing the madness, that's why Comedians are the first ones that get silenced in Authoritarian Regimes.