The Republican City Committee is condemning Mike Doyle, the Democratic candidate in the 170th Legislative District, for what it says is his use of racist language and an anti-Semitic image in his social media discussions.
The GOP is also pointing to an Oct. 15, 2017 post on Facebook that said, “I would like to apologize to all the females in my past I made unwanted advances towards or harassed.”
In a separate Facebook discussion, someone asked Doyle, “Shouldn’t you be protesting a pipeline.” Doyle responded, “Shouldn’t you be hanging niggers somewhere?” Doyle then shared a picture of a cemetery with “F—ing Jew” spray-painted on a headstone and wrote, “Maybe these are more your ilk.”
Republicans are calling on Democrats to join them in condemning Doyle, who is challenging Rep. Martina White.
“It is more clear than ever that winning and amassing power – regardless of the negative impact on our Philadelphia community – is much more important to people like Congressman Boyle, party chair Brady and special interest groups like the PA Fund for Change than doing what is right,” said Jason Ercole, a spokesman for the Republican City Committee.
Doyle said he made the apology to females in his past to show solidarity with women who’ve been harassed.
As for the other posts, he issued the following statement:
“In 2016, tensions were at an all-time high. I like many other Americans engaged in confrontations via social media. Unfortunately, during one of my interactions with a blatant racist and anti-semite, I mocked their hate by using the language of hate myself. That was not appropriate, and those are not the values I hold as a person. As a public servant, but more importantly as a human being, I will not use this language of hate and divisiveness, and I apologize to anyone who my speech offended.”
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is no longer backing Doyle.
The union wrote on Facebook, “Due to the emergence of racist, anti-Semitic social media statements by candidate Mike Doyle, the PFT immediately rescinded our endorsement. We are disgusted and disappointed. As educators and human beings, we have a fundamental moral obligation to our members and the students of Philadelphia to always speak out against racism and hate, no matter what. Wrong is wrong, and we will never stop fighting for what is right.”
Republicans also point to a post that appears to be made in July after Vice President Mike Pence appeared at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5.
Doyle wrote to a Facebook friend, “I don’t see any one coming up to help me out in the most racist part of the city! Where were you and the other woke people at the FOP/MAGA event two weeks ago? I was the only person there standing with BLM activists supporting them.”
“As if Mr. Doyle’s disgusting comments revealed just a day ago weren’t enough, now we find that he feels the very people he is asking to support him are the ‘most racist’ in Philadelphia,” Ercole said. “Again, is Congressman Boyle going to continue to stand silent while Mr. Doyle denigrates his constituents – even Democratic voters? Are the special interests going to join in this hatred of Philadelphians? Today is the day they must come forward, denounce Mr. Doyle, and tell the people of Philadelphia he is the wrong choice. Anything less means they stand with him and his views.”
The Times reached out to Rep. Brendan Boyle, who appears in a TV commercial for Doyle, but he did not respond. ••
