Kemp Supports Israel and Jewish Issues

Are supporting Israel and Jewish issues important to you? Let me clarify and enumerate for you why Brian Kemp is without question the right person to be our next governor and why Stacey Abrams’ past actions should both worry you and disqualify her.

1. In 2016, Georgia passed an anti-BDS bill that prohibits any company from doing business with the state of Georgia if they boycott, divest or sanction Israel. The BDS movement’s goal is to delegitimize and bring about the destruction of Israel. Stacey Abrams, while House minority leader, lobbied against and voted against the bill.

2. Ms. Abrams has support from and campaigned with Linda Sarsour, a known pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel advocate who also is aligned with Louis Farrakhan, a known virulent anti-Semite.

3. Georgia Student Scholarship Organization programs (SSOs), which include the ALEF Fund, allow people to enroll their children in and contribute to Jewish schools like Davis, Epstein, AJA, Weber and countless synagogue schools. In return, they receive a 100 percent state tax credit! Stacey Abrams has publicly stated her disdain for private schools, whether they be Jewish or otherwise, with her intent to eliminate the ALEF Fund and SSOs. In comparison, Brian Kemp would protect these programs.

4. Only under Republican leadership and with a Republican governor has the state invested in Israel Bonds. Georgia currently holds $20 million in Israel Bonds. Do you think that Ms. Abrams, who voted against Israel while minority leader and has sought support from and campaigned with a known anti-Israel advocate, will continue to support the purchase of Israel Bonds? Brian Kemp not only has pledged his continued support, but put that in writing with an ad in this newspaper.

5. You’ve heard that Stacey Abrams didn’t pay her taxes because she needed funds to help her parents with medical issues. It is admirable to help one’s parents. But what you may not have heard is that after that, she subsequently earned almost a half a million in compensation from nonprofit groups she set up, and rather than pay off her tax debt, she chose to loan $50,000 to her campaign. Do you want to trust someone who hasn’t paid her taxes with the responsibility for managing billions of state funds?

6. The Republicans led the effort to pass House Bill 341, a bill aimed to crush the sex trafficking problem. They reached across the aisle and accommodated Ms. Abrams, who asked that certain additional provisions be included. The bill passed with bipartisan support, but Ms. Abrams refused to vote on it. Really?

Brain Kemp is a solid supporter of Israel and Jewish issues. I currently serve on the Georgia Holocaust Commission, which has reported to the secretary of state’s office. Brian has been a great supporter of the Commission’s initiatives. He also has pledged to lead a trade mission to Israel during his first year in office as governor, further strengthening Georgia’s business ties with Israel, opening new economic opportunities.

Contrary to all the noise you may have heard in negative ads, during Brian’s tenure as secretary of state minority voting wasn’t suppressed … it increased by 23 percent and access to voting has increased substantially, with almost 1 million more people on the voter roll for this election than for the 2016 presidential election.

You have a choice in this election. With Stacey Abrams you would get higher taxes, government-run healthcare, sanctuary cities and HOPE scholarships to illegal immigrants.

With Brain Kemp as governor, you’ll get lower taxes, less government regulation, increased jobs throughout the state, and improved education by supporting charter schools and innovative digital learning … and a proven friend of Israel and Jewish causes.

Chuck Berk is co-chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition, a member of the Georgia Holocaust Commission and former Southeast chairman of Israel Bonds.

You’ve read the Point; don’t miss Michael Rosenzweig’s Counterpoint.