NYC Mayor: Trump’s RJC Comments – ‘Dangerous’

NEW YORK – NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday lambasted Republican presidential frontrunner over comments he made last Thursday at the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Forum.

“Donald Trump will go down as one of the worst demagogues in recent U.S. political history. His latest comments last week to a mostly Jewish audience are an example,” de Blasio said in a statement. “Based on hateful stereotypes of the Jewish community, they simply have no place in our society.”

As widely reported, Trump addressing the influential Republican Jewish group in DC, told the audience full of donors and political activists, “You are not going to support me even though you know I am the best thing that could happen for Israel. I know why you are not going to support me. You’re not going to support me because I don’t want your money. You want to control your own politicians.”

Trump also caused the crowd to nod their heads in dismay, as some suggested he was implying Jewish stereotypes while speaking about renegotiating the Iran nuclear deal. “I’m a negotiator like you folks, we’re negotiators,” Trump said. “Is there anyone in this room who doesn’t negotiate deals? This room negotiates a lot. This room perhaps more than any room I’ve ever spoken to.”

“As with other shameful outbursts he has had about many ethnic groups, they are nothing short of dangerous,” the NYC mayor said in his statement. “Others, including myself, have spoken out when political leaders in Europe have not risen to the defense of their embattled Jewish communities.”

“It is equally important to call out American leaders who traffic in age-old negative characterizations of Jews. We should demand from our presidential candidates a standard that in no way echoes the voice of a George Wallace or Joe McCarthy,” de Blasio added.