Rockland GOP Accused Of Antisemitism Over Attack Video

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The Rockland County Republican Party posted a video on Facebook targeting Democrats running for the Legislature not only as "woke" for their stands on abortion rights and environmental issues but also for meeting with lawmaker Aron Wieder and another member of the Hasidic community.

"Taking their positions as genuine (which is a stretch), why would they meet with Aron Wieder? A sitting Rockland County Legislator, on the conservative line, who shares absolutely none of their stated positions," local GOP party officials asked on the social media outlet, calling their opponents either "terribly misinformed" or "dishonest."

Wieder is running unopposed for re-election in District 13 on the Democratic and Conservative party lines, though his place on the Conservative line has been challenged by the county Conservative Party.

In response to the Republican Party's video, four Rockland legislators criticized the GOP for what they called "a blatantly antisemitic video that tries to smear Democratic candidates by lumping them together with an Orthodox Jewish elected official."

The video, posted Monday, shows four Democratic candidates — Beth Davidson, Dana Stilly, Jesse Malowitz and David Bruen — meeting with people including County Legislators Toney Earl, Aney Paul and Aron Wieder.

"But only one County Legislator, Aron Wieder, has his voice and name included in the video," Earl, Paul, and Legislators Alden Wolfe and Itamar Yeger said in a news release. "The GOP video opens by focusing on him and ends with the words 'Choose Your Leaders Carefully' with him clearly seen in the shot."

The video takes audio clips of Wieder and then the new candidates for the board introducing themselves.

Yeger called it "a sequel to their 2019 infamous ‘A Storm is Coming’ video that was so full of antisemitic vitriol that it was denounced across the state by leaders from both parties."

"The Rockland Republican Party learned nothing in four years," he said. "Their actions yesterday are dangerous because they come at a time when antisemitism is rampant, especially in New York."

The "Storm is Coming" video also singled out Wieder, Rockland's only Hasidic legislator. It said he and the people he represented, which it called "the Ramapo bloc," sought not only to over-develop the western end of the county but also to spread their political power across Rockland. SEE: County GOP's "Storm" Video Unleashes Political Firestorm

"Aron Wieder has been one of our most dedicated public servants for more than a decade," Earl said Tuesday. "He is also a proud Hasidic Jew. To insist that the voting public needs to watch out for those who associate with a Jewish elected official is plainly antisemitic."

Patch reached out to Rockland Republican Party Chairman Lawrence Garvey Monday for a comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

In their video post, county GOP officials said "national, woke, progressive issues" have nothing to do with the Rockland County Legislature.

"Beth Davidson, Dana Stilly, Jesse Malowitz and David Bruen want you to vote in a local election, based on national matters, while they themselves go and ask for the blessing of a person or persons who oppose those same positions, and ignore that discrepancy, while they want you to not ignore that, and instead go and base your vote on those national issues," they said.

"If they are only thinking of themselves, and only thinking of what’s good for them, and their political career, the Rockland County Republicans ask you to think of yourself, what’s good for you, and what’s good for your community, and go vote for us," local GOP party leaders said in the Facebook post. "What’s good for the goose is good for the gander."

The Democratic lawmakers pointed out that since Hamas invaded Israel Oct. 7, starting a war in the Middle East, people in the United States have been singled out because they are Jewish — and in some cases threatened with bodily harm. "During times of virulent hatred, the Republicans' antics may cause further harm in our community," Wolfe said.

It's not the first election-season attack that has stirred up controversy. Last week, Republican Legislator James Foley, who is running for re-election, attacked both the Democrats and Ramapo, where many of Rockland's ultra-Orthodox Jews live.

Foley created a meme on Facebook linking Wolfe, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Accusing the Democrats of "migrant dumping," he said they also "caucus with the corrupt and dishonest Ramapo members." SEE: Rockland Lawmakers Trade Accusations

The chairman of the Rockland County Legislature, Jay Hood, Jr., said last week that Foley had created numerous negative memes of elected officials from the town of Ramapo.

SEE CANDIDATES FOR ROCKLAND LEGISLATURE POSITIONS ON LOCAL ISSUES HERE:

• Patch Candidate Profile: Francis Seeks District 10 Seat On County Board
• Patch Candidate Profile: Bruen Seeks Seat In Rockland Legislature
• Patch Candidate Profile: Kennelly Seeks Rockland Legislative Seat
• Patch Candidate Profile: Davidson Runs For Rockland Legislature
• Patch Candidate Profile: Diviny Runs For Rockland County Legislature
• Patch Candidate Profile: Stilley Runs For Rockland Legislature