'Nazi next door' says 'New York Times' profile cost him job, home

An Ohio white supremacist who rocketed to infamy after a controversial profile in The New York Times says he lost his job and home in the aftermath of his widely publicized ideological reveal.

Tony Hovater says he, his wife, Maria, and her brother were fired from their jobs at the 571 Grill and Draft House in New Carlisle. Hovater told the Times his family was moving from their rental home "for safety reasons."

Hovater told The Washington Post that they could no longer afford to pay the rent, and that someone published the address online.

"It's not for the best to stay in a place that is now public information," he said. "We live alone. No one else is there to watch the house while I'm away."

Hovater wasn't alone in taking heat after the profile published Saturday. Critics accused the Times of normalizing white supremacy behavior. That led Times national editor Marc Lacey to respond, saying it was important "to shed more light, not less, on the most extreme corners of American life."

More: Facebook, Snapchat execs agree to advise anti-hate speech group

More: Reddit bans Nazis, discussions that incite violence

More: Who got inside the Richard Spencer speech at University of Florida?

Hovater is a founding member of the Traditionalist Worker Party, a group that participated in contentious, racially charged marches in Charlottesville, Va. Among the group's core values is to "fight for the interests of White Americans, a people who for decades have been abandoned by the System and actively attacked by globalists and traitorous politicians."

The Times described Hovater as a regular guy in his community, a well-mannered "Nazi sympathizer next door" living a quiet, uneventful life.

Until the profile, apparently. The article did not mention the restaurant by name, but referenced its signature Haystack hamburger — a silver lining for the rustic eatery that features more than 125 craft beers and bumper stickers on its support beams.

"While the 571 Grill and Draft House is happy to be recognized by national news outlets for our 571 Haystack burger, it’s with a sad heart that we must reflect on a divisive political topic that has unfortunately darkened the doorstep of our small business," the owners said in a statement.

They said they have been assailed with angry and threatening messages since the profile was published, and that Hovater himself suggested they "release" him from their employ. The statement went on to say the Times profile included "some very disturbing images and thoughts from this individual" that did not align with the views of management.

Hovater has supporters. The site "goyfundme" — a crowdfunding website catering to the far-right — has drawn more than $8,000 in donations on his behalf.

It also notes that "giving is what Christmas is all about."

"As a general movement, we must show solidarity through supporting our own and helping them back to their feet," the funding pitch says. "Even in times where it may be an inconvenience to us."