WASHINGTON — A D.C. councilmember apologized Sunday night for posting a video on Facebook Friday that seemed to embrace an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that a wealthy Jewish family is controlling the weather.
“I really do apologize,” said Councilmember Trayon White, D-Ward 8, on various social media platforms. “I work very closely with the Jewish community and never want to offend anyone, especially with anti-Semitic remarks.”
I really do apologize. I work very closely with the Jewish community and never want to offend anyone, especially with Anti-Semitic remarks. pic.twitter.com/TvUgf55UeF
— Trayon White (@trayonwhite) March 19, 2018
D.C. Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau, D-Ward 1, told WTOP that White discussed the video with her Sunday.
“I believe he is being truthful when he says he didn’t realize what his statement implied,” said Nadeau. “It is my sincere hope that my colleague has learned from this experience …”
On Friday, as light snow fell on the District for a short time, White posted the below video to Facebook, courtesy of The Washington Post:
“It just started snowing out of nowhere this morning. Y’all better pay attention to this climate control,” White said in the video. “It’s climate manipulation and D.C. keep talking about ‘We are a resilient city,’ and that’s a model based off the Rothschilds controlling the climate to create natural disasters they can pay for to own the cities, man. Be careful.”
The Rothschild family is a wealthy family of bankers from Europe who have been the subject of many conspiracy theories, stemming from anti-Semitic prejudice, that allege they are manipulating world events to their advantage.
The Post said they reached out to White for clarification, to which he wrote, “The video says what it says.”
“I did not intend to be anti-Semitic and I see I should not have said that after learning from my colleagues,” White said Sunday. “I have spoken to leaders and my friends at Jews United for Justice and they are helping me to understand the history of comments made against Jews and I am committed to figuring out ways continue to be allies with them and others.”
We spoke with @trayonwhite tonight about how his comments played into the long history of antisemitism. We look forward to working with him toward deeper understanding of antisemitism and toward our collective liberation.
— JUFJ (@jufj) March 19, 2018
Jews United for Justice endorsed White in 2016, The Post reports.
The Anti-Defamation League reported anti-Semitic incidents more than doubled in 2017 compared with 2016.
