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Rep. Carson denounces antisemitic comments by Farrakhan

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indiana Congressman is denouncing antisemitic comments from Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, but says he has no intention of resigning from Congress over them.

In an interview with 24-Hour News 8, Rep. Andre Carson said he will not step down despite calls for his resignation this week by the Republican Jewish Coalition.

The RJC called for Carson and six other Democrats to resign from Congress after Farrakhan delivered controversial remarks at the Nation of Islam’s “Saviour’s Day” convention.

In his speech, Farrakhan said “the powerful Jews are my enemy.”

“White folks are going down. And Satan is going down. And Farrakhan, by God’s grace, has pulled the cover off of that Satanic Jew and I’m here to say your time is up, your world is through,” Farrakhan told the crowd in Chicago.

In a statement, RJC leaders called Farrakhan “the moral equivalent of a leader of the KKK. If it was discovered that members of Congress had met with the leader of the KKK, they would need to resign.”

“I condemn antisemitism strongly,” Carson said. “I’ve done it my entire life. I condemn homophobia, Islamophobia, xenophobia, discrimination against women.”

Carson admitted he has met with Farrakhan in the past.

“I have met with him along with other Black Caucus members talking about crime reduction and a lot of other things,” Carson said. “I meet with a lot of people. I’ve met with Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

Carson also lashed out at the RJC, calling on the group to take a public stand against the Israeli government’s decision to begin deporting African migrants.

“I urge them to condemn the Israeli government pushing out Africans and the mistreatment of Ethiopians, as we pressed prime Minister Netanyahu when we met with him,” Carson said.