In July, Ellison was interviewed by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! after participating in the construction of the 2016 Democratic party platform at the behest of then-candidate Bernie Sanders. Ellison was asked about what was and was not accomplished in the platform, and one of the first things he brought up was that the Democrats “could have had a clearer statement on the two-state solution and the U.S.’s aspiration to have peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Ellison went on to elaborate:
AMY GOODMAN: Can you explain what you would like to see there, Congressmember Ellison? REP. KEITH ELLISON: Well, I think that it is important that, you know, the United States state that we don’t think that the occupation of the—what will be the Palestinian state should continue. I don’t think there’s any fear of using the O-word, if you will. I mean, Ariel Sharon used it. You know, the U.N. uses it. I mean, it’s a commonly used phrase to describe what’s going on. I think we could have also made some stronger statements about the— AMY GOODMAN: What is that word? REP. KEITH ELLISON: Occupation. AMY GOODMAN: That they’re not using the word “occupation”? REP. KEITH ELLISON: Right.
While CNN now reports that Ellison has more recently said that he has “long since distanced myself from and rejected the Nation of Islam due to its propagation of bigoted and anti-Semitic ideas,” CNN notes that Ellison has a long history of consorting with anti-Semites and the Nation of Islam in particular, once saying that “Minister Farrakhan is a role model for black youth[.] He is not an anti-Semite.” CNN also reports:
Speaking to a synagogue in 2006, Ellison said he was confronting a past he wasn’t proud of. “I wasn’t proud of my work with the Nation of Islam,” Ellison said, “but I was hoping it wouldn’t come up. I have come face to face with my past.”
However, in an interview just Wednesday with NPR, Ellison was also asked about his past and seemed to equivocate [emphasis added]:
DAVID GREENE, HOST: Congressman, I want to ask you about something that seems to have haunted you for many years ago. And that was when you were younger, defending Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who’s considered by many to be anti-Semitic. What is your attitude towards him and to the Nation of Islam today? ELLISON: I’ll just say, you know, over the course of the last quarter century I’ve learned a lot. And the main thing I’ve learned is that we’re better together and that our society needs inclusion—right?—not exclusion. GREENE: Do you regret defending him at a point earlier in your life? ELLISON: Yeah. But, you know, I was very proud to be part of the Million Man March. I think it’s one of the best things that I ever did. Just the fact that, you know, at the time I didn’t pay close enough scrutiny to some of the other things that he was saying. You know, that’s something I just live and learn.
The Anti-Defamation League, which had raised some questions about Ellison but just last week said that the organization “will not endorse or reject individuals,” has now said that some recently uncovered remarks of Ellison from 2010 on the State of Israel are “disqualifying”:
In a speech recorded in 2010 to a group of supporters, Rep. Ellison is heard suggesting that American foreign policy in the Middle East is driven by Israel, saying: “The United States foreign policy in the Middle East is governed by what is good or bad through a country of 7 million people. A region of 350 million all turns on a country of 7 million. Does that make sense? Is that logic? Right? When the Americans who trace their roots back to those 350 million get involved, everything changes.” … Rep. Ellison’s comments sharply contrast with the Democratic National Committee platform position, which states: “A strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States because we share overarching strategic interests and the common values of democracy, equality, tolerance, and pluralism.”
The ADL’s full statement is here.
