Pete DeFazio is among the six Democrats endorsed by ALIPAC. Group hit by DCCC backed 6 Dems

National Democrats have charged that a House candidate endorsed by a controversial anti-immigration group has “Nazi ties” — but six other congressional Democrats also have the group’s endorsement, and at least one has enthusiastically embraced its support.

The group, Americans for Legal Immigration, or ALIPAC, supports candidates and incumbents who oppose creating a path to citizenship for the thousands of undocumented immigrants in the United States. The Anti-Defamation League has criticized ALIPAC for what it says is support from white supremacist and racist groups.


“Another [National Republican Congressional Committee] Young Gun candidate, another Nazi tie — it should come as no surprise,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement Monday. He said the group was “on the racist fringe” and that it was “backed by anti-Semites and white supremacists.”

The DCCC statement was aimed at Arizona congressional candidate Jesse Kelly, the Republican who is challenging Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the state’s 8th District. Kelly signed a pledge saying he would advocate for ALIPAC’s agenda in Congress.

It’s a charge that was first leveled by Sen. John McCain when he was locked in a close reelection fight with former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who had ALIPAC backing. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said the group was “backed by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and anti-Semites.”

But six Democrats: Reps. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Gene Taylor of Mississippi, Pete DeFazio of Oregon, Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Jim Marshall and John Barrow of Georgia, all have the group’s endorsement. Including Kelly, ALIPAC has endorsed 179 Republicans.

The six Democrats were chosen because their voting records line up with the group’s priorities, ALIPAC President William Gheen said. Because they are incumbents with voting records, they don’t have to sign the same pledge Kelly did.

But at least one, McIntyre, has touted the group’s endorsement. “Congressman McIntyre has received major endorsements from prominent conservative-leaning organizations including the National Rifle Association; the National Federation for Independent Business, the nation’s largest voice for small business; National Right to Life; and ALIPAC, an organization fighting illegal immigration,” his campaign wrote in a Sept. 13 post on his website trumpeting Republican support for his reelection.

POLITICO calls and e-mails to the other five Democrats were not immediately returned.

ALIPAC adamantly denies any voluntary association with white supremacist or neo-Nazi groups. “We have never been supported by white supremacists in any fashion that we know of or having any control over,” Gheen told POLITICO.

“Any time any racist group has put any of our material up and we’ve seen it, we have rebuked that group and reaffirmed our commitment to an inclusive solution to reversing illegal immigration,” Gheen said. “Twenty-two percent of our supporters are minorities; we actively recruit minorities and legal immigrants to our groups. Our minority supporters are very important to us.”

The ADL has carefully documented white supremacist groups that have encouraged their members to attend ALIPAC events or have posted ALIPAC information on their own websites. They have also pointed out white supremacist groups that have encouraged their members to attend rallies or lobby members of Congress in support of ALIPAC goals.