Former McAllen resident at Kavanaugh hearing target of Twitter attacks

Former McAllen resident Zina Bash and White House Counsel Don McGahn listen during the hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 4, 2018, in Washington, DC. less Former McAllen resident Zina Bash and White House Counsel Don McGahn listen during the hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 4, 2018, ... more Photo: Brendan Smialowski /AFP /Getty Images Photo: Brendan Smialowski /AFP /Getty Images Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Former McAllen resident at Kavanaugh hearing target of Twitter attacks 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

West Texas’ top law enforcement official blasted Twitter attacks on his wife, who grew up in McAllen, during Tuesday's confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

John F. Bash III, who was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas by President Donald Trump late last year, took offense to many of the comments that focused on his wife, Zina Bash, who sat behind Kavanaugh during the hearing in Washington. In particular, John Bash took aim at commenters who claimed Zina Bash made the “white power” sign when she rested her fingers on her lap in a certain way.

The Bashes, both Ivy League graduates, clerked at separate times for Kavanaugh, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

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“The attacks today on my wife are repulsive,” John Bash tweeted. “Everyone tweeting this vicious conspiracy theory should be ashamed of themselves. We weren't even familiar with the hateful symbol being attributed to her for the random way she rested her hand during the hearing.

Zina is Mexican on her mother's side and Jewish on her father's side, John Bash noted. She was born in Mexico, and her grandparents were holocaust survivors, John Bash stressed.

“We, of course, have nothing to do with hate groups, which aim to terrorize and demean people — never have and never would."

“Some of the Twitter comments have even referred to our baby daughter. I know there are good folks on both sides of the political divide,” he said. “I hope that people will clearly condemn this idiotic and sickening accusation.”