Jews Assail Brown for His Role in Jackson Campaign

Assembly Rules Committee Chairman Tom Bane (D-Tarzana) has sent an open letter to Speaker Willie Brown expressing Jewish community criticism of Brown’s new role as national chairman of Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign.

The letter, published in The Heritage, a Jewish community newspaper, charges that Jackson “has made many anti-Semitic remarks.”

Brown (D-San Francisco), reacting to the letter, told a reporter that Jackson already has apologized for remarks he made in the 1984 campaign, and the Speaker added he does not intend to talk to the candidate about the criticism.

“Because they (the Jewish community) fear Jesse Jackson so greatly,” Bane wrote to Brown, “they are puzzled, confused and, in many cases, resentful of your accepting the national chairmanship for Rev. Jackson’s campaign. Their fears cannot be assuaged by the rationalization that Mr. Jackson will never end up being the nominee.”

The Southern California lawmaker said he has received a “couple dozen” letters and telephone calls complaining about Brown’s acceptance of the Jackson post. He declined to disclose the names of any of the communicants, however.

During the 1984 presidential campaign, Jewish community leaders criticized Jackson for using the word “Hymie” to refer to Jews and “Hymietown” for New York.

Brown said: “Rev. Jackson has made it clear that his previous remarks should not be construed as being anti-Semitic. He went out of his way to make an apology. He has consistently conducted himself since then in such a way that his conduct cannot be assigned the same characteristics.”

Bane, who is Jewish and whose district includes a large Jewish constituency, said he hopes that Brown will have “a good influence” on Rev. Jackson this year.

“We are probably very fortunate that you (Brown) are the one who will be the leader of the Jackson delegation,” the letter said. “The ship you are steering has been through troubled waters. I pray that you will steer it in a direction that will be of benefit to all.”

Asked for comment on the letter, Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles), whose district also includes a large Jewish constituency, said there is a “kind of a general feeling in the Jewish community that Jackson is anti-Semitic.”

Rosenthal added that he believes Brown should discuss the Bane letter with the Democratic presidential candidate.

Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda), also Jewish, said: “Willie has very strong ties to the Jewish community and his own credentials in support of Israel. He has his own reasons for supporting Jackson. I don’t support (Jackson). I am concerned about Jackson’s view toward Israel, but I am not concerned about Willie being his national chairman.”

Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys) said the subject of Brown’s chairmanship of the Jackson campaign came up during a recent luncheon meeting at which some people expressed unhappiness about it and others defended his right to accept the post.

“Obviously, Jackson won’t get many votes in the Jewish community,” Robbins said. “It’s not going very far out on a limb to say that.”