Posted earlier today; sadly lacking a hyperlink to the original LST exclusive (we’ll forgive):
Paul is famously non-image-conscious. This is in some ways admirable, but it could prove harmful if he doesn’t do something about neo-Nazi leader Don Black’s $500 contribution (a spokesman said that was just noticed on Saturday — to their credit, because of the bloggers). No one thinks Ron Paul is a Nazi, but any association there is the most toxic kind of association possible.
In addition to our multiple phone calls last week, we’ve got a direct email in to Paul’s press shop this morning seeking comment, as well as pursuing a couple of back-channels.
To quote a brief excerpt from our email:
Fwiw, it is my genuine hope that the campaign chooses to take the high road, reject this contribution and take reasonable steps to ensure that additional contributions from neo-Nazis are not accepted.
Blocking Stormfront’s IP address from being a referral page to your site and issuing an unambiguous statement that neo-Nazis and white-supremacist support is unwelcome by the Paul campaign strike me as perfectly reasonable (and politically prudent).
We’ll be happy to highlight and champion any moves along these lines the campaign wishes to take.
We mean it.
And for what it is worth, taking these steps now will make it easier in the future for the Paul campaign to avoid getting unfairly saddled with racist baggage, like the fact that a bigot named Will Williams is trying to recruit young people to his white supremacist cause under the guise of organizing on behalf of Ron Paul. [h/t: Adam Holland]
In response to LST’s post, poor Mr. Williams is whining…
We prefer to phrase the question as “Must Dr. Paul be asked to hold himself accountable to public opinion and take a stand regarding who he knowingly allows to formally associate with his campaign,” but since Mr. Williams insists on framing the issue differently, we’ll answer in a vernacular he understands–