Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


14

Aide's Plea in Hate Crime Undercuts Tancredo

Speechwriter used racial slur, karate chop

Share

(Newser) – An aide to Tom Tancredo has pleaded guilty to a hate crime, compromising the former congressman's credibility as he helps lead the opposition to Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court, the Washington Independent reports. Marcus Epstein, executive director of the onetime Republican presidential candidate's PAC, copped to using a racial slur and karate-chopping an African-American woman in the head on a DC street in 2007.

Tancredo, who has said Sotomayor "appears to be a racist," is a leading light of the anti-immigration movement; Epstein was a speechwriter for his ill-fated presidential campaign. Epstein will not be sentenced until July 8, but the drunken incident has apparently resulted in the revocation of his acceptance to the University of Virginia's law school, where he had planned to enroll this fall, Talking Points Memo adds.

Tom Tancredo, then a Republican congressman and presidential candidate, answers a question during a candidates' debate in Manchester, NH, June 5, 2007.
Tom Tancredo, then a Republican congressman and presidential candidate, answers a question during a candidates' debate in Manchester, NH, June 5, 2007.   (AP Photo)
In this 2008 file photo, Tom Tancredo talks about his career in state and federal politics during an interview in his office in the southeast Denver suburb of Greenwood Village, Colo.
In this 2008 file photo, Tom Tancredo talks about his career in state and federal politics during an interview in his office in the southeast Denver suburb of Greenwood Village, Colo.   (AP Photo)
Tom Tancredo, then a presidential candidate, relaxes before a radio interview at WHO-AM, in Des Moines, Iowa, April 2, 2007.
Tom Tancredo, then a presidential candidate, relaxes before a radio interview at WHO-AM, in Des Moines, Iowa, April 2, 2007.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
11.20.09
The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun
14 comments
VIEWING:
 
Reader64481089
Jun 2, 09 12:59 PM CDT
"Sotomayor "appears to be a racist," ?????? Appears?? You think??? Attempts to remember famous quotes..... Birds of a feather ..... Apple falling not far from the tree hum, oh well............... Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
AnnieChrist
Jun 2, 09 1:26 PM CDT
Is this a comment, or a practice exercise in typing punctuation marks?
Vote up! Vote down!
-1
IN RESPONSE:
JaneMP
Jun 2, 09 2:00 PM CDT
Hey--Reader--why do you equate being proud to be a latina to being racist? I guess all those white men who are proud to be white men are racists, too? Oh, sorry--NOT a good comparison. Saying Sotomayor is seems like the last gasp of a dying party.
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
RobN
Jun 2, 09 5:09 PM CDT
Many people have a problem with her use of the word "better". That she'd make a better decision because she's a Latina. Why does being a latina make her decision any better than a black justice or a white justice? To me she seems qualified and after that minimum threshhold is met, the decision should be the Presidents. But I understand why people feel that if a white judge got up and said that being white helped him make a better decision, that everybody would be up in arms over it, so why the double standard.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
IN RESPONSE:
TRU2TM3
Jun 2, 09 10:36 PM CDT
RobN, it was one comment. Do you even know where it was stated? In what context? It is simply amazing how upset people are getting over one paragraph.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1

View all 14 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

20 Stories

Hate Crimes Up Just 2%, But Gay-Bashing Soars: FBI

Religiously motivated crimes also surge

7 hours, 28 minutes ago
(Newser) - The incidence of reported hate crimes in the US rose 2% in 2008, with huge surges in religion- and sexual orientation-based offenses. The FBI compiled the stats but cautions that an increase in reporting—not in crime itself—could be responsible. The AP looks at some numbers:
  • Of 7,
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
FBI • hate crime • racism • homosexuality • sexual orientation • crime statistics • religious persecution • crime rate • gay • Federal Bureau of Investigation • gay-bashing

 Biased? 
 Harvard 
 Wants to Know 

Web test tries to suss out implicit prejudice via picture exercise

Nov 1, 09 5:57 AM CST
(Newser) - Do you have a subconscious love of gays—or hatred of white people? There's an app for that. Actually, it's a website that's part of a study by Harvard, the University of Virginia, and the University of Washington . “Project Implicit” gathers personal information, then puts you through a... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Internet • Malcolm Gladwell • racism • University of Washington • website • University of Virginia • bias • scientific study • Harvard University • prejudice

Brit Cop Fights for Life
After Gay Hate Attack

Mob of Liverpool teens leaves rookie critically injured

Oct 27, 09 4:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - A rookie British police officer is fighting for his life in a Liverpool hospital after being attacked by a gang of teens for being gay. The 22-year-old man was set upon by a dozen attackers after leaving a gay bar with his partner and their friends. He suffered multiple skull... More »

MORE ABOUT:
homophobia • hate crime • Liverpool • assault • Britain • police officer

20 Stories


Tancredo distances himself from Epstein
Denver Post

Epstein pleads guilty
Washington Independent

More on Epstein's criminal record, in the comments
Wonkette

"Maybe Tancredo should check his own house before throwing around charged terms"
Above the Law


Politics  •  Crime & Courts 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
immigration • hate crime • racism • law school • Tom Tancredo • University of Virginia • assault • Sonia Sotomayor • Marcus Epstein • karate chop • Team America PAC

from our news partners