Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley recently called the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent a “smug, rich liberal elitist”:

Only a smug, rich liberal elitist would say that defending your home is “phony pastoral posturing,” whatever that means. No, Greg, I don’t think living in Missouri is “punishment.” But this is the new left: utter, open contempt for the people of the heartland and all we love https://t.co/0F8e3OZttq — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 21, 2019

Sargent wrote a whole post about it, in fact. And Jake Tapper shared it, helpfully pointing out that Hawley’s insult was directed at a Jewish journalist:

In which ⁦@HawleyMO⁩ calls a Jewish journalist a “smug, rich liberal elitist” https://t.co/44Mh94mcnO — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 22, 2019

OK … and?

Greg Sargent is Jewish? I confess I have followed @ThePlumLineGS on Twitter for seven years or so and never knew that. https://t.co/n4wMKb9sK5 — Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) October 22, 2019

Until we read Sargent’s column, we didn’t know that, either. Is there any proof that Hawley did? And that his comment about Sargent stemmed from anti-Semitism?

For defending my homestate of Missouri, liberal media have called me “phony,” “ugly,” “smarmy,” a racist and now an anti-Semite. All in 24 hrs. This is how they bully those who aren’t part of the DC club. But I don’t care what slurs they use, I will ALWAYS defend Missouri https://t.co/pfUGKEbcv5 — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 22, 2019

I didn’t label you anything. I stated a fact. You used those terms to describe a Jewish journalist. Why did you say Greg was “rich”? What is it about him that suggests he’s wealthy? — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 22, 2019

Come on, Jake.

Pretty sure any journalist of any religion or with a complete lack of religion could be labeled as such. And most of middle and non-urban America would have similar commentary about many MSM journalists after the last 3 years of being disparaged & insulted by the same. — Stacey (@ScotsFyre) October 22, 2019

No kidding. Casually throwing out the anti-Semitism card is unnecessary and also transparently hacky.

You're right: no non-Jewish person has ever been called a smug, rich liberal elitist. Even for someone such as yourself, this is pretty hackish. — Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) October 22, 2019

This is a low blow from @jaketapper. He should know better. https://t.co/3B4DFofNek — Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) October 22, 2019

Good Lord, Jake. This is beneath you…or at least I thought it was. Maybe that's my bad? — John Hyde (@JohnFlippinHyde) October 22, 2019

Of the words smug, rich, liberal, or elitist, which one(s) say "Jewish" to you, Jake? https://t.co/lEO5uQ2uvG — Eric Spencer (@JustEric) October 22, 2019

Was it cuz they are Jewish or because they are a smuch rich liberal elitist? If not the former, why even mention that they are Jewish? — Dad Ayup (@Dadbyup) October 22, 2019

I like Tapper, but man he just pulled that Jewish thing right outta his ass. I don't see it, and I'm no fan of Hawley. — ConservativeBlackMan ???? (@NevilleD35) October 22, 2019

What does his being Jewish have to do with this? — Dale Kingston (@DaleKingston06) October 22, 2019

Wtf Jake? What does him being Jewish have to do with that insult? With so much blatant and actual antisemitism going on across the political spectrum, it’s not helpful to invent dog whistles. Especially when so many people are ignoring bullhorns. — (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) October 22, 2019

Maybe we can have Richard Spencer on again with his expert opinion to analyze this. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 22, 2019

Good idea.

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with an additional tweet.