New Flap Over Jewish Issues Costs Jackson Donations in L.A.

Several members of a Los Angeles political organization have stopped payment on checks written to the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign because of the way Jackson treated a young man who asked the candidate at a recent gathering if he has improved his relationships with Jews.

The incident took place Sept. 5 in the backyard of a house in Sherman Oaks, where Jackson spoke to about 75 members of the Lexington Group, an organization of young Democratic lawyers, business people and entertainment figures.

During the question and answer session, John Caldwell, one of the few blacks in the audience, alluded to Jackson’s “Hymietown” remark from the 1984 presidential campaign and asked Jackson what he has done “to heal your rift with the Jews.”

Somewhat Defiant

Jackson, who has come to expect this question at many events, was somewhat defiant in his response. Although applauding the participation of Jews in the civil rights movement and acknowledging the legacy of cooperation between blacks and Jews, he said: “You have to remember that there are other minority groups who have a voice. Hispanic-Americans are part of our coalition, Arab-Americans are part of our coalition.”

And, indicating that he believes he has atoned for his 1984 mistakes--which included a tardy denunciation of anti-Semitic remarks by Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan--Jackson pointed out that he has stood by Jews on several recent occasions, including his face-to-face complaint to Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev about emigration restrictions on Soviet Jews and his protest of President Reagan’s 1985 visit to a Nazi cemetery in Germany.

All of that was fairly well received by the Lexington Group members, some of whom are Jewish. It was what happened later that upset them.

Jackson, according to several witnesses, took Caldwell aside and berated him for bringing up the Jewish issue.

“Caldwell told us that Jackson said to him, ‘You are a guest of the Jews, let the Jews speak for themselves,’ ” said Arthur Drooker, a television producer who belongs to the Lexington Group. “He also said Jackson told him that, as a black, he should be aware of ‘what the Jews are doing in South Africa.’ ”

Trading Relationship

The latter was a reference to Israel’s trading relationship with the South African government.

“I could not hear what was being said but I can tell you that, from the body language, it was clear that Jackson was being very tough with the young man,” Drooker said. “He was pointing his finger at him and his face was very animated.”

Caldwell, a young lawyer who has worked in several local political campaigns, confirmed in an interview that the confrontation had taken place and that he had described it to several people afterward. But he refused to elaborate, saying: “Can’t you see? I’m in a very awkward position.”

He added that he was surprised when Jackson confronted him because he thought he was doing him a favor by bringing up the Jewish issue and allowing Jackson to clear the air before the group.

“I asked him a question that would make him look good, and he could have been cool about it,” Caldwell said.

Another person who saw the confrontation, Myra Stark, said in an interview: “It was ugly. You could see exactly what was happening. I went over to see what was going on, and I guess I was too obvious because Jackson started talking under his breath. I could not hear what he said. But the finger-pointing and anger were clear.”

Frank Watkins, Jackson’s chief spokesman, said in a telephone interview Thursday that he knew nothing about the Lexington Group incident and would not comment until he had learned more.

Kate Bartolo, a Los Angeles businesswoman who helped set up the event, said the crowd was “self-selecting. There were a lot of people there who were very interested in Jesse Jackson and open to what he has to say.”

Some even wrote checks for Jackson’s campaign exploratory effort, she said.

But they were turned off by the confrontation with Caldwell, according to Los Angeles attorney Joel Fishman, who wrote a letter of protest to a Jackson representative in Los Angeles, Eugene Wheeler.

“In light of (the incident), the individual members of the Lexington Group who made contributions to the exploratory committee have stopped payment on their checks,” wrote Fishman, who is chairman of the group.

“The individual members of the group are most willing to reconsider their contributions at such time as we receive some explanation from Rev. Jackson regarding his version of what occurred during the conversation with the group’s guest,” Fishman continued.

One who stopped payment was Charles Shaughnessy, who said Thursday: “I wrote a $100 check for Jackson but I have stopped payment on it because he seemed to be so defensive and even aggressive (with Caldwell). My overall feeling is one of great sadness because I agree with Jackson on so many subjects and believe he can shake things up.”

Fishman acknowledged in an interview that no one he has talked to actually heard what Jackson said to Caldwell. But he said Jackson’s obvious anger during his conversation with Caldwell, and Caldwell’s version of the conversation, had convinced him that he should write the letter of protest to Wheeler.

Wheeler was traveling and unavailable for comment.

But a Los Angeles adviser to Jackson said in an interview that he thought Jackson’s conversation with Caldwell had been misconstrued.

“I saw (Jackson) talking to the young man and, while it was lively, I got no sense that there was intimidation,” said Bruce Rozet, a Jewish businessman who has helped Jackson set up meetings with California Jewish leaders.

“Rev. Jackson is a man who expresses himself with strong feelings,” Rozet said, “but there was no indication that he was upset. Maybe someone unaccustomed to talking with him would think he was upset when he was just expressing himself.”