The Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest is weighing in on a San Antonio Congressional race after Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo unleashed claims that “billionaire Zionists” are part of a human trafficking conspiracy in Bexar County.
In a statement, the consulate denounced Galindo’s “hateful rhetoric,” adding that antisemitism has no place in the politics of either the right or the left.
“Dangerous conspiracies and tropes targeting Jewish people are nothing more than a modern blood libel, and fuel hatred, division, and violence that must be unequivocally rejected,” the consulate said.
Galindo this week accused her opponent in the runoff to become the Democratic candidate for Texas’ newly redrawn 35th District — former Bexar County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Johnny Garcia — of participating in a Jewish conspiracy that involves human trafficking in South Texas.
“That’s why we have so many Blue Dog Democrats here,” Galindo told the Current. “The billionaire Zionists who own this area and the trafficking networks need to maintain control over it. They are also infiltrating our local governments, the Israeli billionaire Zionists. So, I think it’s important to expose that and call it out.”
In the wake of Galindo’s comments, which were also reported on in the New York Times and the Express-News, her former opponent in the primary, John Lira, rescinded his endorsement of her. Political blogger Lone Star Left also took back its earlier endorsement.
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a progressive Democrat who represented the 35th before it was redrawn, also denounced Galindo’s rhetoric before endorsing Garcia in the runoff.
Galindo responded in an Instagram video by calling Casar a “Zionist.”
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg also tweeted out a video endorsing Garcia.
“Republicans in Texas redrew the maps to make districts like this harder to win,” Buttigieg said. “But that’s exactly why this race is so significant.”
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