An outraged U.S. Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-Hamilton) wants an apology from his Democratic challenger for calling him a bigot and for falsely charging that he concealed campaign contributions from two conservative Christian groups.
Democrat Josh Zeitz, a college history professor challenging the fourteen-term Congressman, released a video this week seeking to dispel the notion that Smith is a moderate. Yesterday he took that a step further, calling Smith a “bigot.”
Zeitz’s claims were amplified by an article in The New Republic, a left leaning magazine, which yesterday outlined Smith’s ties to what Zeitz called “religious-right hate groups.”
Today, the magazine retracted part of their story and, Smith says, apologized to him.
According to Zeitz and the article, Smith sat on the board of a group called Christian Voice in the early 1980’s, which supported racially segregated private schools. The article also highlights that Smith authored legislation that would bar openly gay people from working federal jobs or for employers that receive federal funds.
Zeitz went on to point to a bill Smith voted for in 1981 that would “restore non-profit status to segregated private schools.”
"Chris Smith is an extremist," said Zeitz Campaign Manager Steven D'Amico in a statement. "There is nothing moderate about racial segregation. There is nothing moderate about denying jobs and education to millions of gay Americans. There is nothing moderate about taking away the right to use common, everyday birth control. These are unacceptable positions that are out of step with basic human decency."
But Smith refuted the claim that he failed to report campaign contributions from two right-wing Christian groups, and produced documentation showing that he did report a combined $4,200 from The National Christian Action Coalition and Christian Voice made in 1980 and 1982, respectively, that the article and Zeitz’s subsequent press release charged he did not.
The New Republic has since corrected its story, and Smith says Frank Foer, the editor, left an apologetic voice mail for Smith acknowledging that the publication was “clearly in the wrong” regarding the donation reporting.
“They falsely accuse me of not filing my FECs. They retrieved that information in mid-July in a manipulative way,” said Smith of Zeitz’s subsequent press release, which insinuated that Smith tried to conceal the donations. “He’s defamed my character.”
Smith went on to argue that the 1981 vote Zeitz brought up was by no means an extremist one, with 383 members of the House voting with him on it. He said that his contention that it was up to the Justice Department, not the IRS, to decide whether an educational institution is engaging in discriminatory practices. Voting with Smith were some liberal luminaries and prominent Democrats, like U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), John Dingell (D-Mich.), Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) and current House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). From New Jersey, former U.S. Rep. Frank Guarini also voted with Smith, as did former U.S. Rep. Jim Florio, who Zeitz would work for after he became Governor.
“I would defend Steny to the death. He’s not a segregationist,” said Smith. “To take that vote and say that I’m for racial segregation and a bigot, I demand an apology. Just like he did with his statement that I failed to abide by FEC rules and report contributions. He calls these organizations racist. He throws racism, misogynistic and homophobic around – you don’t do that. False charges have no place in public discourse.”
Smith acknowledged that he did sit on an advisor’s board of Christian Voice, which the article charges spread false information about HIV/AIDS during the 1980s. Smith, however, said that he works with all kinds of groups that oppose abortion. He went on to point to his support of AIDS relief programs at home and abroad.
“It was a board of advisors that had no role other than just being on the list. They were very pro-life, I’m very pro-life,” said Smith.
And while Smith suggested that the magazine and Zeitz’s campaign were in cahoots over the article, Zeitz spokesman Steve D’Amico said that Zeitz’s press release from yesterday was only basing its facts off the article, and that they have nothing to apologize for.
“The only person who owes an apology to anybody is Chris Smith and he owes that to every single person in the state of New Jersey for the very outdated and inexcusable votes and statements,” he said. “The bottom line is that Chris Smith is trying to blame the fact that he’s voted for segregation and tried to discriminate against the entire gay population that he’s tried to ban birth control and he’s trying to blame it on Josh Zeitz? The only one he has to blame for this story is himself for holding these opinions.”
D’Amico said that just because the majority of congressmen at the time, including Florio, voted for the 1981 legislation doesn’t make it right.
“All of those Congressmen were wrong,” he said. “All the other kids are doing it is not a legitimate excuse for a teenager, and certainly not a legitimate excuse for a Congressman defending segregation.”
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If Chris Smith Had The Guts To Meet Zeitz in a Public......
...debate on all the questions, he would have more credibility.
The bottom line is whether or not Smith holds and supports views and policies that are extremist.
By his own words he admits that he put his name on as an "advisor" to an extremist group. Then he lets himself off the hook with this rich line, "“It was a board of advisors that had no role other than just being on the list. They were very pro-life, I’m very pro-life,” "
If Smith is so concerned about truth, I wonder how he feels about all the lies and distortions coming out of the Mcain/Palin campaign?
Bottom line; Chris Smith doesn't have the courage of his convictions. He's a coward sitting on a virtually assured victory because he's afraid to take the risk of debating his opponent.
That's good politics Mr Smith, but it also says something about you as a person that you don't have the integrity or the respect for our electoral process to engage in open debate with Zeitz.
The only way you would lose your seat is if Zeitz "cleaned your clock". Given your years of experience on the floor of the House and his newcomer status...that would seem unlikely......yet you are so insecure in your core beliefs that you don't even have the guts to take that chance.
Shame on you Chris Smith.
From Frederick Douglass
Disgrace
This is a disgrace. Zietz should apologize to Smith. When you attack somebody wrongly, you should apologize.
Disgrace
This is a disgrace. Zietz should apologize to Smith. When you attack somebody wrongly, you should apologize.
loser
Is this what Zeitz has to resort to? Is this all the blank ammunition Zeitz has? Unbelievable ... put a fork in him for Pete's sake, Zeitz's campaign was over before it started.
Zietz is Truly Garbage
He is a piece of garbage like his co hort Andrews.
Zeitz is a little punk who like the other dems are desperate to smear and say whatever to try to win. This punk cannot possible understand how people hate him and love Smith.
Punk Zeitz is only going to dig himself a deeper hole and just like Dennison, will be done politically because he is just a stupid punk.
No apology required
If Smith thinks he can back away from his pulic and published record, then let him engage in an actual real debate with his challenger Josh Zeitz. Then he can address the real facts, instead of his manufactured lies and distortions of his long right wing radical record.