The Gregg County Republican Party Executive Committee adopted a resolution Tuesday night condemning anti-Semitism and calling upon the Republican Party of Texas to donate funds it has received from the embattled Defend Texas Liberty PAC to “an appropriate Israeli/Jewish charity.” The resolution also calls on the Republican Party of Texas to no longer accept funds from Defend Texas Liberty or any other political action committee associated with the political consulting firm Pale Horse Strategies.
The Republican Party of Texas has received at least $332,500 from Defend Texas Liberty so far this year.
Brian Bowden, Chairman of the Gregg County Republican Party, strongly supported the resolution adopted by the Party’s executive committee. “There is no room in the Republican Party for antisemitism and we firmly stand behind the resolution. We intend to stand with Israel and will hold those that do not accountable,” said Bowden.
The resolution comes after growing concerns expressed by grassroots Republican activists across Texas about anti-Semitism within the Republican Party and the close ties between the Republican Party of Texas and the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. The concerns stem from a meeting featuring well-known anti-Semite and holocaust denier Nick Fuentes that was held last month at the offices of Pale Horse Strategies. Former State Representative Jonathan Stickland, who served as President of Defend Texas Liberty at the time of the meeting with Fuentes, owns Pale Horse Strategies.
Following Fuentes’ meeting at Pale Horse Strategies’ office, it was discovered that employees of Pale Horse Strategies had posted content online praising Fuentes and making anti-Semitic remarks. The Texas Tribune has also reported that Chris Russo, who chauffeured Fuentes to Pale Horse Strategies’ office, had longstanding ties to Fuentes and operated social media accounts that posted racist content. Russo is the President of Texans for Strong Borders, which has received significant financial support from Defend Texas Liberty.
Leaders of other organizations that have received funding from Defend Texas Liberty have also made anti-Semitic posts on social media. Ryan McCubbin, a board member of the True Texas Project, criticized Governor Greg Abbott for promoting “policy driven by shekels” in a tweet last month. True Texas Project’s CEO, Julie McCarty, blamed “corporations run by Jews” for what she described as “some of our toughest battles today” involving an assortment of issues in a 2021 Facebook post.
The Texas Voice recently reported that 28 members of the State Republican Executive Committee, representing 19 of Texas’ 31 State Senate districts, have signed a letter condemning Stickland and echoing Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s call for the Republican Party of Texas to “root out” anti-Semitism within the Party.
The text of the resolution adopted by the Gregg County Republican Party Executive Committee reads as follows:
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO EXIST AND CALL FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF TEXAS TO DISASSOCIATE WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE TIES TO ANTISEMITISM
WHEREAS On October 6, 2023 the terrorist organization “Hamas”, which controls the government in the Gaza Strip, launched a heinous and unprovoked attack against Israel.
WHEREAS Hamas is internationally recognized as a terrorist organization.
WHEREAS since the start of the war, Israel has incurred more than 3,600 wounded, 1,300 murdered, and 126 families have been taken hostage.
WHEREAS the brutality against Jews has included beheading infants in cribs, shooting of unarmed citizens, and kidnapping of young Jewish children, as well as burning Jews alive in their homes and vehicles.
WHEREAS all these atrocities happened simply because the victims were Jewish. As such, we recognize that all of this is the result of antisemitism.
WHEREAS antisemitism is an irrational hatred of people of Jewish ancestry and religion.
WHEREAS a recent vote at the SREC quarterly meeting in September 2023 voted in favor of allowing the Young Republicans of Texas to affiliate.
WHEREAS multiple members and or associates of the Young Republicans of Texas have publicly expressed multiple times antisemitic views.
WHEREAS a recent news report, and documented through photographs, showed Nick Fuentes, a nationally known antisemite, and holocaust denier, met for 6 hours at the offices of Pale Horse Strategies is run by former Texas House Representative Jonathan Stickland.
WHEREAS Pale Horse Strategies runs the Defend Texas Liberty PAC, which contributes to many campaigns, elected officials, and the Republican Party of Texas. This includes Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who received $3 million dollars from said PAC prior to impeachment. Also, Chairman Matt Rinaldi has close relationships with Pale Horse Strategies and Defend Texas Liberty PAC.
WHEREAS multiple elected officials denounced the meeting with Fuentes, an antisemite, and donated any monies received by Defend Texas Liberty PAC dollar for dollar, to Jewish and Israeli charities. Multiple elected officials called for other elected officials to follow suit.
WHEREAS these recent events have damaged the reputation of the Republican Party of Texas.
WHEREAS the Republican Party of Texas on multiple platform planks, recognizes the right of the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel to exist and defend itself, as well as recognizes our Judeo-Christian values as intrinsic to the fabric of this nation and state.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that The Republican Party of Gregg County hereby goes on record reaffirming the Republican Party of Texas platform regarding support for the nation of Israel and Jews, and their right to defend themselves and exist as a country.
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Gregg County condemns antisemitism in all forms, and recognizes that antisemitism is not a Republican value, nor a rational view for members of the human race.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Gregg County calls for the Republican Party of Texas to disassociate itself from any club or organization that currently has any ties to antisemitism. We call on the State Republican Executive Committee, at its December 2023 quarterly meeting, to rescind the application of the recently formed “Young Republicans of Texas” affiliation with the Party. We also call on the Texas GOP to donate any money received from Defend Texas Liberty PAC to an appropriate Israeli/Jewish charity. We also call on the state party to no longer accept money from Defend Texas Liberty PAC, or any other PAC that Pale Horse Strategies operates.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Republican Party of Gregg County resolution, once adopted, be sent to the Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, all members of the State Republican Executive Committee, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Governor Greg Abbott.
