Turner's 'evil money' comment riles Jewish leaders

[George II]

Source: Cleveland Jewish News

Nina Turner, who ignited a national conversation on social media with her use of the term "evil money" in her Aug. 3 concession speech, is taking heat from some local Jewish leaders.

Following her loss to Shontel Brown in the District 11 congressional primary Aug. 3, Turner said, "I am going to work hard to ensure that something like this doesn't happen to another progressive candidate again. We didn't lose this race, evil money manipulated and maligned this election."

The Turner campaign was asked to clarify her use of the term.

"Nina Turner was opposed by corporate money, Republican money and Trump-allies' money," her campaign wrote in an Aug. 11 email to the Cleveland Jewish News. "That is evil money and it's not limited to any race, creed or background. It hurts democracy."



Read more: https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/turners-evil-money-comment-riles-jewish-leaders/article_d1efcf24-fadf-11eb-a629-9b2e75fc2156.html#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

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"Although Turner's staff sought to clarify her election night remarks, indicating she was speaking about 'corporate money, Republican money and Trump allies' money,' words matter," Shapiro wrote in an Aug. 10 email to the CJN. "Intentionally or unintentionally, the language she employed rings of historic antisemitic tropes. There is no place for bigotry, hate or antisemitism in our public discourse. It is the responsibility of political figures to condemn and address antisemitism, and that means taking extra care with phrasing that can be offensive or derogatory. AJC Cleveland has reached out to Turner to discuss issues of concern."

It should be noted that a prominent supporter of Nina Turner, Cornel West, was more specific in a Tim Black podcast a few days after the primary, saying she was opposed by "republican Jewish money".

[hlthe2b]

1. Honestly, Cornel West and Nina Turner are two peas in a pod. Why CNN continues to bring West

on as a so-called African American academician and "expert" baffles me. He lost the moral "high ground" a long time ago.

[stillcool]

2. I think that's why...

god forbid they should schedule people who are Democrats, without a modifier.

[IL Dem]

3. I'm not a fan of Nina Turner, but honestly...

they should be on Cornell West about this, not her. "Evil money" is a pretty generic term and does not an implication of anti-semitism. To me it doesn't even smell of a dog-whistle. Corporate money IS a huge problem and doesn't have a religious or ethnic meaning. Jeesh!

[JohnSJ]

4. While West was very specific, Turner's so-called concession speech, was implied,

especially by some of her supporters, of who Cornell West was one.

The fact that contributions to Turner were significantly more than to Brown, and her graceless pseudo concession speech, blaming "evil money" for her loss, is a dog whistle that is used by some from the left with a clear implication.

You will not hear Turner pushing back on the comments from Cornell West, and that speaks volumes

Turner's support of Linda Sarsour, also does not help her case.

Linda Sarsour support of Louis Farrakhan, and Sarsour's anti-Jewish comments did not endear Turner with the Jewish population in the 11th district

[George II]

6. That statement was the culmination of a very contentious (a nice way of putting it) campaign....

...with all sorts of innuendos and accusations about "outside money" with hints of anti-Semitism.

That was a bad road for Turner to go down - the Cleveland area has the highest concentration of Jewish people in the entire state of Ohio.

[sarcasmo]

14. Sounds like something Farrakhan would say.

[George II]

19. One of his allies, Linda Sarsour, was a big supporter of Turner.

[Beastly Boy]

5. Every Democrat, not just Jewish leaders, should be outraged with Turner's statement.

Whatever else it may or may not be, it's an inexcusable insult to Ms. Brown's intelligence, experience and integrity. It is also a pathetic attempt to excuse Turner's defeat. Smacks of Trump's bogus claims that he didn't lose the election.

[Griefbird]

12. I am not defending Turner

or any other candidate who legitimately lost an election after spending more than her opponent. I do believe, however, that the vast organization of think tanks, propaganda networks, astroturf movements and dark money, created and financed by oligarchs to write legislation and steal elections, has polluted our politics since before Reagan. The corrupting influence of money in politics must be called out at every opportunity. If we criticize her statement as a dog whistle, we need to change our framing to emphasize the valid concern about this she brings up.

[Beastly Boy]

13. Agreed on dark money. But bringing it up immediately after you lose an election, and blaming

your defeat on the winner in insulting and provocative terms like "evil money" will do nothing to address the issue. The manner in which Turner raised it, and in the context of her speech I doubt she raised it for any other reason than to excuse her defeat, contributes nothing to addressing the problem of dark money seriously.

[George II]

18. When all the numbers are in Turner will have had a lot more spent on her behalf....

....by her own campaign and outside groups than Brown. She's already $600,000 ahead with a few groups not accounted for yet.

At latest count (as of July 14)

Turner:

Congressional Progressive Caucus $104,000
Democratic Action PAC $661,000
Working Families Party $153,000
Turner Campaign $3,704,491

Total: $4,622,491

Brown:

Third Way $255,000
Democratic Majority for Israel $2,000,000 (estimated
Brown Campaign $1,748,992

Total: $4,003,992

That's about $600,000 more for Turner so far and doesn't yet include Justice Democrats, Sunshine Movement (both of whom are Super PACs), or Brand New Congress.

https://ballotpedia.org/Nina_Turner_(Ohio)#2021_battleground_election

[ripcord]

7. She is an anti semite plain and simple

[question everything]

8. When in trouble, blame the Jews.

Drought, hurricanes, tornadoes, recession, just a bad day - blame the Jews.

She joins two (that I know) "Squad" members: Omar and Tlaib.

[George II]

10. And locusts, and snakes, and pestilence.

[Hekate]

15. Don't forget California forest fires. Those space lasers are something else.

[twodogsbarking]

9. People are the root of all evil.

Money is offended.

[peoli]

11. I don't see where she said anything derogatory against Jewish people

[Jose Garcia]

16. Racist dog whistle

[betsuni]

17. K&R