Alarms are sounding in the East Bay after an anti-Semitic robo-call went out Tuesday on behalf of Republican congressional candidate John Fitzgerald.
The small business owner, who will be on the November ballot challenging incumbent Democrat Rep. Mark DeSaulnier for the Contra Costa County seat, said in an email Wednesday night he is not affiliated with the group who paid for the call and does not support the message.
The call, paid for by TheRoadtoPower.com, asked listeners to "End the Jewish takeover of America and restore our Democracy by voting for John Fitzgerald for U.S. Congress."
The Road to Power is a self-proclaimed "video podcast for White Nationalists."
Fitzgerald, whose website and social media pages reveal him as a Holocaust denier, said "I'm angry. Everyone in my party is angry" about the robo-call.
He has previously stated that he believes Jewish people are pushing multiculturalism in America that is leading to rape and crime epidemics.
Matt Shupe, the chair of the Contra Costa County Republican Party, who is Jewish, said the California Republican Party doesn't endorse Fitzgerald because he has racist views.
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While Republicans don't endorse Fitzgerald, 36,000 people voted for him in the June primary.
"It's really unfortunate this happened, and our party is going to take action in general election to see that doesn't happen again," Shupe said.
The Republican party says it is sending Fitzgerald a letter informing him he is not welcome in their organization. The party also is working on a strategy to inform voters about his views before they cast a ballot.
