A Republican congressional candidate in Florida has defended actor Mel Gibson from charges of making antisemitic remarks.
Jessica “Jessi” Melton, who is running against longtime incumbent Ted Deutch in Florida’s 22nd district, made the comments last month after actress Winona Ryder — who is Jewish — repeated in an interview that Gibson had once called her an “oven dodger.” Gibson has a long history of antisemitic statements.
“The left attacking Mel Gibson over hearsay according to clepto girl,” Melton tweeted, a reference to an incident years ago in which Ryder was arrested for shoplifting.
“Of course they are,” Melton added. “He’s Christian and ready to expose all their dirty secrets.”
In a subsequent radio interview, Melton defended her comments, saying Gibson is working to reveal rampant pedophilia in Hollywood, which appears to be the “dirty secrets” she was referring to.
She added that she is supported by the Republican Jewish Coalition and supports Israel. The RJC told the Floridian that it has neither endorsed nor supported Melton.
Melton also made inflammatory comments comparing supporters of gun control, like Deutch, to the Nazis, saying, “100% of gun grabbing lawmakers, including you, don’t know that six million Jews were murdered as a result of giving up their gun rights in the name of progressivism.”
Melton appears to have a weakness for conspiracy theories about pedophilia. Media Matters for America has documented that she appeared on the YouTube channel InTheMatrixxx, which promotes the “QAnon” conspiracy theory.
QAnon alleges, among other evidence-free theories, that major political and economic leaders are part of a massive conspiracy to engage in pedophilia and protect pedophiles.
During her interview, Melton was asked about QAnon and said, “I mean, I know you’re kind of just similar to me. I mean, you call it like you see it. And a lot of that are supposed to be things we don’t speak of.”
Melton later called one of the show’s hosts “my friend.”
Among the four Republicans who are competing for the nomination to challenge Deutch, Melton doesn’t appear to be doing very well.