New York, NY, May 15, 2010 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called Pat Buchanan "a recidivist anti-Semite who doesn't miss an opportunity to show his fangs," in response to remarks he made about the Jewish faith of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan and the religious makeup of the current court.

Buchanan wrote in his May 14 syndicated column, "If Kagan is confirmed, Jews, who represent less than 2 percent of the U.S. population, will have 33 percent of the Supreme Court seats.  Is this the Democrats' idea of diversity?"

Buchanan continued, "Not in living memory has a Democratic president nominated an Irish, Italian, or Polish Catholic … What happened to the party of the Daleys, Rizzos and Rostenkowskis?"

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

Pat Buchanan is a recidivist anti-Semite who never misses an opportunity to show his fangs. His remarks about the Jewish background of Elena Kagan and the religious makeup of the Supreme Court are bigoted and unacceptable in a pluralistic society such as ours.

 

Kagan's nomination for the Supreme Court should be considered on its merits.  She is a highly qualified candidate for the judiciary, an exemplary Solicitor General and a great legal mind. 

 

As the nomination process for Kagan moves forward, we hope that all Americans will reject appeals to bigotry and anti-Semitism.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.