GOP Senate Candidate Compares Smoking Ban to Hitler Policy
U.S. Senate candidate John Raese, a West Virginia Republican, thinks banning smoking is the "same thing" as Adolf Hitler's policy of forcing Jews to wear the Star of David.U.S. Senate candidate John Raese, a West Virginia Republican, thinks banning smoking is the “same thing” as Adolf Hitler’s policy of forcing Jews to wear the Star of David. Raese made the comparison at the recent Putnam County Lincoln Day dinner.
Said Raese: “I have to put a huge sticker on my buildings to say this is a smoke-free environment. This is brought to you by the government of Monongalia County. OK? Remember Hitler used to put Star of David on everybody’s lapel, remember that? Same thing.”
He later stood by his comparison, declaring: “No, this is not a standard line, nor a misstatement.”
Raese has a history of making controversial statements, which may help explain why he has lost three previous U.S. Senate races in West Virginia. –TEB
Click below to see and hear Raese in action at the Lincoln Day event:
Rock Solid Journalism
In 2026, amid chaos and the nonstop flurry of headlines, Truthdig remains independent, fact-based and focused on exposing what power tries to hide.
Support Independent Journalism.
Editorial Cartoons
TD Column
There is no longer any room for debate.
Traditional politics and a media-driven culture don't offer the language for grasping the crisis that created Trump.
Beyond the big headlines, he is acting on policies that hurt the poor, immigrants, his political enemies and human existence itself.
They’ll claim they’re concerned about uniting the party, but many are afraid they’ll be out of a job if the Vermont senator prevails.
The MSNBC host faces calls to issue a public apology after describing the Vermont senator's online backers as a "brownshirt brigade."
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.