Two local Republican leaders have apologized for saying in a Sunday editorial column that wealthy Jewish people are frugal.

Orangeburg County GOP Chairman James S. Ulmer Jr. and Bamberg County GOP Chairman Edwin O. Merwin Jr. wrote in defense of South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint’s opposition to congressional budgetary earmarks: “There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves.”

The two were responding to state Rep. Bakari Sellers’ earlier opinion piece criticizing DeMint for not requesting federal earmark funds for South Carolina because of his conservative political philosophy. Ulmer and Merwin’s rebuttal was published in The Times and Democrat and at TheTandD.com on Oct. 18.

The remark garnered South Carolina national attention on Tuesday, coming on the heels of Gov. Mark Sanford’s extramarital affair and U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouting, “You Lie!” at President Barack Obama during his address on health care reform.

Ulmer and Merwin represent the Republican Party in two of the most solidly Democratic counties in a GOP-dominated state.

State Rep. Herb Kirsh, D-Clover, one of two Jewish members in the Legislature, said he didn’t like the comment and thought it was unnecessary.

“It’s stupid for them to make that comment in Democratic strongholds,” Kirsh said.

Unlike others, Kirsh didn’t call for the two to resign, saying he doesn’t know either of them.

“I’m going to tend to my business. They can tend to theirs,” he said.

Ulmer and Merwin both apologized in released statements but couldn’t be reached directly for further comment.

“I meant absolutely nothing derogatory by the reference to a great and honorable people. I hope that anyone and all who were offended by my comment will accept my humble apology,” Ulmer said.

Ulmer said the remark was based on a statement he has heard “many times in my life, truly in admiration for a method of bettering one’s lot in life.”

Merwin said, “At this time I wish to deeply apologize for any material included in that letter that would be considered anti-Semitic in any way. I have always abhorred in the past, and shall continue to do so in the future, anti-Semitism in any form what so ever.”

Sellers, a Denmark Democrat, said he was disappointed when he read the editorial, calling the remark disgusting.

He feels this is the latest in a string of incidents that gives the Palmetto State a bad national reputation.

However, Sellers says he doesn’t think the duo meant to alienate anyone.

“I truly believe Mr. Ulmer and Mr. Merwin have a good heart and they didn’t mean anything by it,” he said.

Sellers wouldn’t call on them to resign. He said that’s up to their respective county parties.

S.C. GOP Chair Karen Floyd said the remark was offensive and unacceptable. She said some will exploit it for political gain but “as far as we’re concerned, their apology ends the matter.”

“I just read the op-ed last night and the comments were thoughtless and hurtful,” DeMint told CNN Tuesday. “The chairmen have apologized as they should have.”

The Rev. Charles Butler, a local pastor and second vice chairman of the S.C. GOP, said he knows both men well. He said unequivocally that Ulmer and Merwin aren’t racist. The whole situation is being blown out of proportion,” he said.

“If anything, they are making a tribute to Jewish stewardship. I talked to Jim (Ulmer) at least two or three times. We talked about the Jewish people. We believe one of America’s saving graces is America’s commitment to Israel,” he said.

“We admire the wisdom of many of the Jewish people when it comes to financial things and stewardship. We believe they are God’s chosen people. The last thing we would ever try to do is attack them,” he said.

Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, wrote Ulmer and Merwin. He called for the duo to pay more attention to how their remarks may be interpreted.

“The troubling use of this caricature of the Jew, no matter your intentions in defending Sen. DeMint, blatantly perpetuates centuries of anti-Semitism canards about Jews as greedy, miserly money handlers,” Saperstein said.

Saperstein noted anti-Semitism may be on the rise nationally, citing a recent Anti-Defamation League Survey in which 31 percent of respondents blamed Jews for the financial crisis.

State Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Richland, the only Jewish member of the General Assembly’s upper chamber, said Ulmer and Merwin need to be removed.

“At a time when we can least afford more negative attention for South Carolina, we have two individuals who unapologetically espouse racist and stereotypical attitudes,” Lourie said in a Monday statement.

Lourie didn’t immediately return messages seeking further comment.

Lourie said he was also disappointed that The Times and Democrat published the opinion piece.

“I believe that newspapers still have a responsibility to edit their content and reject editorials that promote such blatant intolerance,” he said.

T&D Publisher Cathy Hughes said Tuesday she regrets the way the paper published Ulmer and Merwin’s column with its comment perpetuating anti-Semitic stereotypes. While there is value in publishing the full comments of public officials, they should not be allowed to run unchallenged when they reinforce bigotry, she said.

“It is never our intention to publish something that perpetuates a racial stereotype,” Hughes said. “Even as we welcome diverse opinions on our editorial page, promote civil discussion and encourage exchange of ideas, we never should allow our space to be used for harmful stereotypes.

“This newspaper, The Times and Democrat, has a history of commitment to civil rights and treating all people respectfully as well as promoting diversity in our workplace and in our community. I pledge to continue that commitment,” Hughes said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.

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