Texas congressional candidate Maureen Galindo was cut off from a major Democratic fundraising platform and political action committee after a series of antisemitic remarks sparked widespread backlash within the party.
ActBlue is no longer processing donations for Galindo, who is competing in a May 26 Democratic runoff against Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Garcia in Texas’s 35th Congressional District.
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Galindo has been embroiled in controversy over antisemitic comments. Most recently, she wrote in an Instagram post saying that she intends to write legislation to “turn Karnes [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.”
“It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists,” Galindo added, accusing Garcia of being “paid by Zionist terrorism and trafficking.” She has also previously said that Jews run Hollywood and worship the “synagogue of Satan.”
Democratic lawmakers and candidates have spoken out against Galindo’s comments. Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who are Jewish, said they would force a vote to expel the Democratic candidate “every single day” the House is in session if she wins the Texas seat.
“Maureen’s insane, antisemitic views — including putting Americans in concentration camps — have no place in our Party or country,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) called Galindo’s language “vile” and said it is disqualifying and has no place in U.S. politics or the Democratic Party.
Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico, a Democrat, likewise spoke against Galindo’s comments, saying that he would not campaign with her if she were to win the runoff.
“This antisemitic rhetoric has no place in our politics,” Talarico said in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “We need leadership in both parties willing to stand up and call out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.”
MOSKOWITZ AND GOTTHEIMER VOW EXPULSION VOTES IF CONTROVERSIAL TEXAS DEMOCRAT WINS
Galindo’s campaign financing has also raised speculation among Democrats. She has received thousands of dollars in donations from Lead Left PAC, which reportedly has ties to the GOP and boosts Democratic primary candidates challenging the Democratic Party’s preferred candidates.
“House Republican leadership must immediately cease propping up this antisemitic candidacy, pull spending in the race and forcefully condemn these comments,” Jeffries and DelBene wrote. “To embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic — and extremely dangerous — rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale.”
