Edward Moskal, the Polish-American community leader whose statements about congressional candidate Rahm Emanuel’s Jewish heritage drew accusations of anti-Semitism, on Wednesday accused Emanuel of twisting and exploiting the remarks for political gain.
In a statement, Moskal defended his 1st Amendment rights to attack Emanuel, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton who is running in a hotly contested Democratic primary in the 5th Congressional District on the North Side.
“One must assume that free speech is determined by a selective process,” said Moskal, who heads two of the leading Polish-American organizations in the nation, the Polish National Alliance and Polish American Congress. “Mr. Emanuel is free to make outlandish allegations of prejudice for his selfish political purposes, but others are not free to expose him as a stranger to the district he seeks to represent or as a champion of his fellow millionaires,” Moskal said.
During a Pulaski Day celebration Monday, Moskal claimed–incorrectly–that Emanuel was an Israeli citizen and implied that Emanuel’s allegiance to Israel is stronger than to the United States.
That caused Emanuel and others, including Daley, to accuse Moskal of anti-Semitism. Moskal was also denounced by former state Rep. Nancy Kaszak, who is Emanuel’s chief opponent in the congressional race and who has received Moskal’s endorsement. Kaszak said she would sever ties with Moskal.
Emanuel denied stirring the controversy for his own gain.
“Ed Moskal is the one who injected these hateful remarks into the campaign,” said Becky Carroll, an Emanuel spokeswoman.
