Judson Campaign leaders demand an apology from San Antonio Express-News and Speaker Joe Straus

Today, two Jewish leaders affiliated with the Jeff Judson for State Representative campaign called on Joe Straus to disavow last week’s front page San Antonio Express-News story by reporter Brian Chasnoff which insinuated that Jeff Judson was “anti-Semitic” simply because he asked his fellow Texans of faith to join him in support for legislation which died last session in the Straus-controlled Texas House of Representatives that would have protected Texans’ religious freedoms.

Rabbi Moshe Trepp, an internationally-known rabbinical scholar and spiritual advisor to Judson, as well as thousands of Jewish university students studying in Texas, and First Sergeant Avi White, the Judson campaign’s digital communications director and a combat veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces, both demanded the apology. 

“At a time in our history, when anti-Semitism is at an all-time high, the cavalier use of the term to score political points is demeaning, offensive and dangerous,” said Rabbi Trepp.

“When someone is allowed to call a political opponent an anti-Semite and a bigot without fact, it minimizes the very real anti-Semitism that exists in the world today,” added Trepp

“As a combat veteran with the IDF who has seen the real face and evil of anti-Semitism, I am angered that Mr. Chasnoff uses the term in a sad attempt to smear the Texas Evangelical community who support Judson in his campaign against Straus and are the strongest supporters of the Jewish people.” said 1st Sgt. White.

“Just because Joe Straus, who has one of the biggest bully pulpits in Texas, has failed to use his leadership position to defend the Jewish people against anti-Semitism is now being called out for his silence, does not give him or his supporters the right to besmirch the good name and reputation of a true friend of Israel—Jeff Judson,” added White. 

“We call on Mr. Chasnoff, the San Antonio Express-News and Speaker Straus to renounce this type of anti-Christian bigotry, apologize to Mr. Judson and, instead, re-focus their campaign efforts to the serious issues facing Texas voters,” concluded Rabbi Trepp and 1st Sgt. White. 

Contact Information

Avi White

Digital Communications Director

Jeff Judson Campaign

Contact via E-mail