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FIRST ON FOX: A leading Democratic Senate candidate running to challenge Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., appeared on the podcast of antisemite Louis Farrakhan’s spokesperson in 2020, where he lavished praise on Farrakhan and admitted to being a longtime “supporter.”
Gary Chambers Jr., an East Baton Rouge activist running for the Senate, appeared on the Elevated Places – “Ask Dr. Ava” podcast of Dr. Ava Muhammad, who is listed as the national spokesperson for Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who has a long history of antisemitic comments, including calling Jews “wicked” and comparing them to “termites.”
The podcast’s co-host Terence Muhammad, who has tweeted several times about his support for Farrakhan and has a profile picture with Farrakhan on his Twitter and Instagram, introduced Chambers by saying Chambers “loves the honorable Louis Farrakhan” and “loves his work.”
“So first of all let me say to the Honorable Louis Farrakhan that I have been listening to him since I was a young man with my father,” Chambers said. “He used to come on TV here in Baton Rouge and my dad kicked me to the game at about 13 or 14 and I’ve been listening ever since because when a Black man stands up for Black folks it makes a Black man want to stand up.”
“I have been a supporter [of Farrakhan] from the distance forever, so let me say that first,” Chambers continued.
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Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan delivers a speech on Nov. 16, 2017, in Washington. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Chambers then spoke for about 20 minutes about his activism and how he slammed a school board member who defended a Robert E. Lee statue, which led to him doing national interviews on CNN and MSNBC during the summer of 2020. Near the end of his interview, he said that when he received the invite to appear on the podcast it was a “yes the minute I read the text message because I love you all and everything that you represent for our people.”
Farrakhan’s spokesperson responded by saying, “We’re proud of you. You really make us proud. Don’t forget this name, listeners. Brother Gary Chambers, East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, an activist who is genuine… Beautiful, beautiful brother. Thank you, Brother Terence for inviting him.” She later compared Chambers to Farrakhan for his exchange with the school board member by saying Chambers “hurled truth at falsehood.”
In a 2015 tweet, Chambers said Farrakhan “dropped some knowledge” at the “Justice or Else” rally.
Dr. Ava Muhammad has been a staunch defender of Farrakhan as his spokesperson and has espoused antisemitic rhetoric of her own, which led to the Anti-Defamation League condemning her in June 2017 and calling her rhetoric “vile.” During a Nation of Islam panel in New Orleans a month earlier, Muhammad called Jews “godless” and said, “We will be free of this bloodsucking parasite so they will no longer be able to sell us alcohol, drugs, depraved sex and every other type of low-life thing that is keeping us from hereafter.”
In a 2018 tweet, Muhammad attacked Jews for “violently intrusive – pressuring Black leaders to condemn” Farrakhan and said “[Jews] have proven [Farrakhan’s] charges against them. Get off of us!” In a 2011 tweet, Muhammad said, “Who’s running Wall Street? Who are the banking families that own the Federal Reserve? The NY Times? It’s Jews. via @LouisFarrakhan #MMM16.”
Chambers, who launched his Senate campaign last month, has gone viral a couple times in recent weeks for ads showing him burning a Confederate flag and smoking marijuana. Politico reported on Monday that he is the leading Democratic fundraiser in the race, raising nearly $600,000 in the first month.
Tamika Mallory
(Reuters)
Last week, Chambers attended a New York City fundraiser for his campaign, which was hosted by disgraced former Women’s March leader Tamika Mallory, who also has ties to Farrakhan, and Stephen Green, an activist who supports abolishing the Senate and abolishing police.
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Mallory has received backlash in recent years for her ties to Farrakhan, which includes her attendance at several of his speeches over the years and calling him “the GOAT” or “Greatest of All Time” in a caption for an Instagram photo of her and Farrakhan.
The Chambers campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News’ Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.
