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Solarz: No Room in the Democratic Caucus for a Member of the Kkk

September 26, 1980
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Rep. Stephen Solarz (D.NY) announced that he will lead a move in the Democratic Caucus to prevent the Democratic Party from giving any compaign assistance to Tom Metzger, the Democratic candidate for the House, of Representatives in Son Diego’s 43rd Congressional District. Metzger, the president of the California chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, has called for the expulsion of all Jews from the U.S. because they are “parasites.”

“There is room in the Democratic Party for moderates, conservatives, and liberals; for people who favor public funding of abortions, and for people who don’t for people who support a balanced budget and for people who don’t. But there is no room in the Democratic Party for someone who resurrects the banners of racist calumny and slanders entire races and creeds,” Solarz said.

“Since Mr. Metzger has chosen the path of defamation, inflammatory remarks and derogatory statements, he would seem to have little regard for either the Constitution or Jaws of the United States,” Solarz said, “and thus has no claim to the support or assistance of the Democratic Party.

Solarz pledged that if Metzger is elected to the Congress, he will lead a battle to expel him from the Democratic Caucus. Solarz’ effort is viewed as significant since the Democratic Caucus assigns committee seats and seniority to Democratic members.

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