John Cook

Christian Conservative Must Replace Jewish TX House Speaker Because Christians "Do The Best Jobs Over All"

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 12/6/2010 12:09 pm

For the last few weeks, we've been chronicling efforts by right-wing activists in Texas to replace Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, who is Jewish, with a true "Christian conservative." And last week we noted that while David Barton was saying that the efforts to replace Strauss had nothing to do with his faith, State Republican Executive Committee member John Cook was sending out emails saying "We elected a house with Christian, conservative values [and] we now want a true Christian, conservative running it."

Now, via The Washington Monthly, we see that the Texas Observer's Abby Rapoport has gotten Cook to speak on the record about his campaign, allowing him to explain that conservative Christians "do the best jobs over all" and that he could not possibly be bigoted against Straus because "Jesus Christ is a Jew, and he's my favorite person that's ever been on this earth": 

And Cook, who stands by his email, doesn't mince words: he maintains that his demands are in no way bigoted. Here's a summary of our conversation, and I'll leave it to readers to judge.

"When I got involved in politics, I told people I wanted to put Christian conservatives in leadership positions," he told me, explaining that he only supports Christian conservative candidates in Republican primary races.

"I want to make sure that a person I'm supporting is going to have my values. It's not anything about Jews and whether I think their religion is right or Muslims and whether I think their religion is right. ... I got into politics to put Christian conservatives into office. They're the people that do the best jobs over all."

...

Cook said his opposition was not about Straus' religion, although he prefers Christian candidates.

"They're some of my best friends," he said of Jews, naming two friends of his. "I'm not bigoted at all; I'm not racist" ... Cook was absolute that his position was not bigoted.

"My favorite person that's ever been on this earth is a Jew," he said. "How can they possibly think that if Jesus Christ is a Jew, and he's my favorite person that's ever been on this earth?"

Barton Says Antisemitism Not Playing a Role In TX Speaker Race

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 12/1/2010 1:33 pm

A few weeks back, we noted that Religious Right activists in Texas were lining-up against Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and that the campaign had started to take on religious overtones as activists openly sought to replace Straus, who is Jewish, with a true "Christian conservative."

David Barton has been deeply involved in this effort and he even produced a six minute video outlining the reasons that Straus needs to be removed.  Starting at the 2:20 mark, Barton claims that the campaign against Straus is in no way rooted in antisemitism:

Also not surprisingly, liberals and those from left-of-center have come to the defense of Speaker Straus. For example, Harvey Kronberg, editor of a popular political newsletter, is claiming that the conservative movement against Straus is being fueled by antisemitism. But most Texans are unaware of Straus' honorable Jewish heritage and it wouldn't matter if they did know, for they are not reacting against his venerable religion, but rather against his liberalism.

While Barton is claiming publicly that the effort against Straus has nothing to do with his religion, emails obtained by the Texas Observer seem to suggest otherwise:

Well in case you thought the bout of anti-Semitism in the Speaker's race was over, think again. An email between State Republican Executive Committee members, obtained by the Observer, shows some Republicans at high levels are concerned at the idea of a non-Christian Speaker of the House—sentiments earlier expressed by some activists.

"We elected a house with Christian, conservative values," SREC member John Cook wrote Tuesday morning to other SREC members. "We now want a true Christian, conservative running it. This is not about Straus, this is about getting what the people want."

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Christian Conservative Must Replace Jewish TX House Speaker Because Christians "Do The Best Jobs Over All"
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Monday 12/06/2010, 12:09pm
For the last few weeks, we've been chronicling efforts by right-wing activists in Texas to replace Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, who is Jewish, with a true "Christian conservative." And last week we noted that while David Barton was saying that the efforts to replace Strauss had nothing to do with his faith, State Republican Executive Committee member John Cook was sending out emails saying "We elected a house with Christian, conservative values [and] we now want a true Christian, conservative running it." Now, via The Washington Monthly, we see that the Texas... MORE >
Barton Says Antisemitism Not Playing a Role In TX Speaker Race
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Wednesday 12/01/2010, 1:33pm
A few weeks back, we noted that Religious Right activists in Texas were lining-up against Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and that the campaign had started to take on religious overtones as activists openly sought to replace Straus, who is Jewish, with a true "Christian conservative." David Barton has been deeply involved in this effort and he even produced a six minute video outlining the reasons that Straus needs to be removed.  Starting at the 2:20 mark, Barton claims that the campaign against Straus is in no way rooted in antisemitism: Also not surprisingly, liberals... MORE >