(Jewish Insider) New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Ras Baraka was a speaker at an event with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan in the early 2000s and applauded violent rhetoric by the controversial preacher.
Baraka, now the mayor of Newark, N.J., was the deputy mayor at the time, a role he held from 2002 to 2005. Following strong debate performances, Baraka has been seen as surging in a crowded field of Democratic candidates in the gubernatorial race.
Farrakhan has been repeatedly condemned for antisemitic, homophobic and racist comments.
During a 2004 speech in Newark at which Baraka was a featured guest, Farrakhan expressed disagreement with the nonviolent philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. and voiced support for violent retaliation, comments that elicited approval from Baraka.
