Kesher Talk

Rep. Max Burns, R-Ga., Monday apologized to Jewish leaders three weeks after a supporter made anti-Semitic remarks at a fundraiser, the Associated Press reported. Burns' phone call to a Jewish community group was in response to a Sept. 20 comment by businessman Jackie Sommers, who referred to Democrat Tony Center, who is Jewish, as "that Jew boy down in Savannah" at a rally for Burns in the freshman's hometown of Sylvania. Center was a candidate in the 12th District's Democratic primary last year and is considered a possible challenger to Burns next year. Burns' apology came several days after Sommers' comment was printed in the Savannah Morning News. "We felt he was sincere in his apology and [sincere in] feeling badly that he did not comment at the time," Sharon Paz, executive director of the Savannah Jewish Federation, told the Athens Banner-Herald. But Center said Burns should have distanced himself from Sommers' comments earlier. Burns said Monday he did not respond to the remarks publicly, but immediately confronted Sommers privately about them.

posted by William @ 10/14/2003 03:47:37 PM