GOP officials apologize for Jewish stereotype

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Source: CNN

(CNN) – After his words attracted national attention and drew condemnation from a Jewish state senator, a South Carolina Republican official is now apologizing for co-writing a newspaper op-ed that described Jews as penny-pinchers.

James Ulmer, chairman of the Orangeburg County GOP, said he made a "great error" in the op-ed, which he penned along with Bamberg County GOP chairman Edwin Merwin.

The piece, which ran Sunday in the Orangeburg Times & Democrat, was meant to defend South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint's position against congressional earmarks.

"There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves," the piece read. "By not using earmarks to fund projects for South Carolina and instead using actual bills, DeMint is watching our nation's pennies and trying to preserve our country's wealth and our economy's viability to give all an opportunity to succeed."

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/20/gop-official-apologizes-for-jewish-stereotype/

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DeMint denounces op-ed with Jewish stereotype


WASHINGTON (CNN) - South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint is denouncing remarks by two Republican officials in his state that were published in a controversial weekend op-ed which included a Jewish stereotype.

The piece, written by South Carolina County GOP chairmen James Ulmer and Edwin Merwin, was intended to defend DeMint's position against congressional earmarks, but it included a line describing Jews as penny-pinchers. Democrats have called on DeMint to denounce the comments.

"I just read the op-ed last night and the comments were thoughtless and hurtful," DeMint said in a statement to CNN Tuesday. "The chairmen have apologized as they should have."