Dershowitz: DNC Must Fire Deputy Chair Ellison Over Farrakhan Ties

Democratic National Committee Deputy Chairman Keith Ellison "has to be fired immediately" because of his continued association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz insisted Friday.

"Not only has he become close to Farrakhan, but he has lied to the American public about ending his relationship with Farrakhan," Dershowitz, a Democrat, told Fox News' "Fox & Friends."

"We know that he continued to meet with Farrakhan. Even after he said he no longer met with him. This is the leadership of the Democratic Party."

Farrakhan, who has often made anti-Semitic slurs, is a "bigot," said Dershowitz, and "far worse" than former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke.

"Farrakhan has a large following," said Dershowitz. "David Duke is a joke. He has no large following. He has no influence on university campuses and no influence with the major segment of the American public."

Farrakhan has continuing influence in the African-American community "at the very highest levels," said Dershowitz, and that makes him "so much more dangerous" than Duke.

"If any Republican dared to meet with David Duke, that would be the end of their career," said Dershowitz. "It should be the end of the career of any Democrat who has any association with this bigot Farrakhan."

In early March, the Republican Jewish Coalition called on Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat, and several others from his party to resign over their links with Farrakhan, and some have done so.

Dershowitz said he believes that in spite of Farrakhan's comments, he is followed because he does try to help the black community, but that's not enough.

"Look, [Adolf] Hitler helped the communities in Germany as well," said Dershowitz. "He ended unemployment and he helped inflation. [Joseph] Stalin, the same thing. Every bigot can claim to do some good. Even David Duke has said that, look, he helps energize the American whites. That's all nonsense. When you are a bigot, you're a bigot."

And, he added, "when you are an anti-Semite, there is zero recidivism" for that.

"The Democrats have to do something about this,' said Dershowitz. "They cannot be associated with this bigot and race is no excuse. We don't have a affirmative action when it comes to bigotry whether you are black or white, you cannot be associated with a bigot like Farrakhan. It must end. "

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