September 19, 2005
A woman accused of making anti-Semitic remarks has been removed from the executive committee of New York's small but politically influential Independence Party. Lenora Fulani's comments had drawn criticism not only from fellow Independence Party members, but also from powerful Democrats such as Senator Hillary Clinton and from Republicans including New York City's mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Fulani reportedly said that Jews "function as mass murderers of people of color" and "had to sell their souls" to acquire Israel. Fulani and five of her supporters were purged from the party's 25-member executive committee after more than three hours of often heated debate. "There are anti-Semites in this country, and a ton of them," Fulani said before the vote. "Lenora Fulani isn't one of them."
Fulani, who said she had many Jewish friends and colleagues, claimed Democrats were behind the move against her because of concern she was leading fellow blacks away from the Democratic Party. She remains a leader of the Manhattan wing of the Independence Party, which was set up by former presidential candidate Ross Perot.
