Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s link to controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan is coming under scrutiny as he makes a bid to become New Jersey’s next governor.
Farrakhan, 91, has been labeled an extremist by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center for allegedly making antisemitic, anti-white and anti-gay comments.
“You and I are going to have to learn to distinguish between the righteous Jew and the Satanic Jews who have infected the whole world with poison and deceit,” Farrakhan said during a speech at a mosque in 2018.
But Baraka praised Farrakhan as a role model and strong “moral” leader when he introduced the minister during an event in Newark 2004 while serving as Newark’s deputy mayor.
“I don’t think that there’s any man today, present today, that has the kind of moral authority or spiritual strength,” Baraka said of Farrakhan at the time.
“Not president, not community leader, not political international activist. No one that has the moral authority, the historical and political framework that the Minister Farrakhan has who can stand where he stands and truly say that he is the leader of black people anywhere and everywhere,” Baraka gushed.
At the same event, Farrakhan called white people “cracker” and “the real devil” and claimed the government was using the prison system to give black men AIDS and kill the black community and used a gay slur.
“Right now, they send you to prison, and they turning boys into girls. And you coming out of jail with your backside as big as the Holland Tunnel. And then you start moving on the down low. You’re with a woman by day and another man by night. And then you say, ‘I ain’t no f—-t.’ And now all our women filled with the AIDS virus. How the hell did you get that? You can’t see that the enemy is plotting our destruction?” he said.
A New Jersey Jewish leader said any association with Farrakhan is troubling.
“Louis Farrakhan is an outspoken vehement Antisemite who called Jews the ‘enemy’ and never wasted an opportunity to spill vile hate towards Jews,” said Jason Shames, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.
“Any association or fondness of Farrakhan is a major concern and threat to our great American society. Likewise is his hatred of the LGBTQ community. We strongly encourage total disassociation with Farrakhan and a denunciation of his divisive and hateful rhetoric.”
Baraka’s gubernatorial campaign had no immediate comment to The Post.
Other Democratic candidates vying for the nomination for governor include Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, US Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney.
Republican candidates include Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 GOP nominee, former radio host Bill Spadea and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac.
Baraka is the son of Amiri Baraka, who was named New Jersey’s poet laureate September 2002.
The dad then penned a poem called “Somebody Blew Up America” that claimed Israel knew in advance about the 9/11 attacks.
“Who knew the World Trade Center was gonna get bombed/Who told 4000 Israeli workers at the Twin Towers/To stay home that day/Why did Sharon stay away?” Amiri Baraka wrote.
The poem prompted calls for Amiri Baraka’s ouster as New Jersey’s poet laureate, including by then-Gov. James McGreevey. Amiri Baraka refused to step down, and when it became clear that there was no way to force him to, New Jersey’s legislature voted in 2003 to eliminate the position entirely.
