Two Delaware GOP leaders are facing backlash over homophobic and anti-Semitic comments
Two state Republican Party leaders in Delaware are facing backlash for comments on Facebook that their colleagues called homophobic and anti-Semitic.
New Castle County Republican Party Chairman Chris Rowe, is resigning at the request of party leaders after he used a derogatory term for a gay man in a Facebook post, the Delaware Republican Party said in a statement on Thursday.
“His comment was offensive and did not reflect the values of respect and tolerance held dear by the Delaware Republican Party,” Jane Brady, chair of the Delaware Republican Party, said in the statement. “Ultimately, as a result, he lost the support of those he was to lead.”
Sussex County Vice Chair Nelly Jordan was criticized for an anti-Semitic Facebook post in which she denounced impeachment by singling out Jewish people and claiming those who support impeaching President Donald Trump are Jews “in name only,” the Delaware News Journal reported.
Blue Delaware, a progressive blog about state politics, posted screenshots on Tuesday of the comments made by Rowe and Jordan.
“The remarks made by Nelly Jordan, who was elected to her post by the Sussex County GOP Executive Committee, were offensive, hurtful and anti-Semitic,” Brady said in the statement.
Because Jordan was elected to her post by the Sussex County GOP Executive Committee, rather than appointed, she would either have to resign on her own or go through a process that would remove her, Brady said. Rowe was appointed to his position.
Jordan does not appear to have addressed her comments or the resulting backlash publicly. CNN has emailed the Sussex County GOP and Jordan for comment, but has not received a response.
Rowe told CNN that he would be publishing a response within the next 24 hours, along with his resignation. He declined to comment further.
The two have not yet publicly apologized
Rowe defended his use of the anti-gay slur in a post on the GOP of New Castle County’s Facebook page, calling it “locker room talk between 2 men.”
He said it was used in a conversation with a close friend. In the post, Rowe described what happened when another friend confronted him about using the derogatory word.
“I told him I have been using that word since before it ever meant what people are offended by today,” the post reads. “In this context I used it for it’s impact & it was between close friends.”
“Knowing that I am not a Homophobe nor have an ounce of bigotry in my blood, he understood and left it at that,” the post continues. “Hell, I have been instrumental in bringing gay candidates into this upcoming election for the GOP.”
Other political leaders around the state also condemned the comments made by the two leaders, with the state House Republican Caucus criticizing them for not apologizing.
“Nearly as troubling as the comments made by Mr. Rowe and Ms. Jordan is their disappointing response to the understandable anger they created,” Delaware state House Republicans said in a statement. “Neither has apologized for their thoughtless posts, with Mr. Rowe actually attempting to justify his remarks as ‘locker room talk between two men.'”
