Bernie Hires Adviser Who Supports Terrorist Org, Blamed US for 9/11
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has hired his most radical adviser yet as he tries to gain ground against former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary race.
The Sanders campaign announced Saturday it had promoted Phillip Agnew, who already was a surrogate for Sanders, to the role of senior adviser as part of its outreach to black Democrats.
Agnew is as radical as they come. Describing himself as “not an activist” but a “militant,” according to The Washington Free Beacon, he has supported everything from abolishing prisons and police officers to boycotting Israel and opening up America’s borders.
Agnew also has suggested throughout the years on social media that he believes the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were orchestrated and carried out by the U.S. government.
“I am excited to welcome Phillip to our team,” Sanders said in a statement Saturday, according to a news release.
“He is a gifted organizer and one of his generation’s most critical voices on issues of race and inequity. He has and will continue to push me and this movement to deliver on what is owed to Black people who have yet to experience reciprocity in this country,” the senator said.
“Black people — all Black people — are a central part of our movement,” Agnew said in a statement. “Our platform is about righting what is wrong in this country. Our campaign is inclusive of Black people across age, class, and gender lines. We’ve come a long way and more work to do. I’m excited to continue to grow and amplify the work of our Black organizing department.”
Although he was excited to welcome the radical political activist to his campaign, Sanders’ promotion of Agnew quickly turned into a distraction for his campaign.
Some of Agnew’s more radical statements and positions have come to light in recent days, and the activist’s past and social media accounts are being heavily scrutinized.
The Daily Caller reported Agnew’s political organization, Dream Defenders, has consistently shared support for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government since 1997.
The group also supports the BDS movement, which works to isolate and injure Israel through boycotts, divestment and sanctions.
Agnew co-founded Dream Defenders in 2012 in response to the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.
On the eve of the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Agnew tweeted, “Tomorrow America remembers the day that she turned on herself, dismantled her constitution, and killed her own citizens in the name of money.”
This is potentially a problematic hire for the Sanders campaign pic.twitter.com/z7pBoauyDu
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 7, 2020
On the 15th anniversary, Agnew posted an image on Instagram blaming the terrorist attacks on America.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKOEAjShAB_
He commented, “#neverforget what goes round comes round.”
The image Agnew shared bears the name of anti-Israel political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who won second place in Iran’s International Holocaust Cartoon Competition in 2006, according to conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk pointed out the fact last year while condemning radical congressional “squad” Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota for sharing Latuff’s work on social media.
Did you know:
Every year, Iran holds an “International Holocaust Cartoon Contest”
In 2006, a man named Carlos Latuff came in 2nd place
Yesterday, both Rashida Tlaib & Ilhan Omar shared his illustration to their Instagram page
These anti-Semites have no place in Congress. pic.twitter.com/tX3yqHZGUS
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 18, 2019
In 2015, Agnew penned an article for Ebony magazine in which he called Zionism “a racist, exploitative, and exclusionary ideology.”
“There is no direct line from Zionism to the Black Freedom struggle,” he wrote. “No rhetorical imagination-acrobatics can conjure one, and no amount of intimidation can chart one. It is a racist, exploitative, and exclusionary ideology.”
Agnew is also under fire for disparaging former first lady Michelle Obama’s appearance.
In 2009, he wrote on Twitter: “Random thought while standing on Gas Station: Michel Obama is an odd looking woman.”
“I’d call her ugly but I don’t want the backlash,” Agnew said.
In another tweet, he wrote: “Michelle Obama is just not pretty… I’ve tried to look at her from every angle possible.”
I see Bernie’s new outreach to African-American and mainstream Democrats is off to a great start. pic.twitter.com/D6ibxoB8Jq
— Dan SIoan ???????️? (@dantoujours) March 8, 2020
Agnew apologized for some of his past statements Sunday on Twitter, blaming them on “dumb Phillip.”
i am not my tweets from 2009.
still, words have power to heal & to harm and i acknowledge and apologize for when my words harm.
i’ve spent years speaking life and love into my community but i was wrong and i have to be accountable.
please take a minute to read my statement: pic.twitter.com/RCuFUyAr7W
— phillip agnew (@iPhilSomething) March 8, 2020
It appears the Sanders campaign either was aware of Agnew’s radicalism and welcomed him aboard the campaign anyway, or did not properly vet him before naming him as a key adviser to the candidate.
In either event, the internet has done that vetting for him.
Sanders has yet to respond to the controversy or to disavow Agnew. The self-described democratic socialist candidate, who has shared extremely radical views and ideas himself, should have denounced Agnew right away.
There is no place for such a far-left demagogue at the table of any serious presidential campaign.
The Western Journal reached out to Agnew via Dream Defenders for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
