Axios: Tim Sheehy Silent After Staffer’s Antisemitic Views Revealed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 8, 2024

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rehm@mtdems.org

Sheehy refused to comment on new reporting that revealed additional antisemitic social media activity from his deputy political director
 

Helena, MT – Tim Sheehy refused to comment after new reporting from Axios revealed his deputy political director’s antisemitic social media activity. 

Today, Axios reported that Caleb Oriet, who the Sheehy campaign claimed was a “young field staffer” but identified himself as Sheehy’s deputy political director, had liked antisemitic content, including a post that said "Don't follow me for my cute cat posting if you can't stand by me when I deny the Holocaust."The news follows reporting from Daily Beast last week that the same Sheehy staffer had promoted racist content on social media. 

Two days ago, Tim Sheehy posted on Twitter that “amid this appalling wave of anti-Semitism, it’s all the more crucial we stand strong with the Jewish people.” Now, in the face of his staffer’s antisemitic social media activity, Sheehy is staying silent.

Axios: GOP campaign staffer "liked" antisemitic memes
May 8, 2024
By Stephen Neukam and Stef W. Kight

• A staffer for Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy engaged with numerous social media posts with racist and antisemitic messaging, Axios has learned.

• Why it matters: A GOP candidate is paying a staffer who liked antisemitic memes at the same time that Republicans have been unified in slamming Democrats over antisemitism at recent pro-Palestinian protests.

• 21-year-old Caleb Oriet introduced himself as "deputy political director" of Sheehy's campaign at an event last month, according to audio obtained by Axios.

• The campaign has said he was a "young field staffer."

• Oriet has been on the campaign's payroll since at least last October, according to federal filings.

• Zoom in: Oriet's Instagram account, @realbased_caleb, liked a number of antisemitic and racist posts, which had not been previously reported.

• The account was deleted after Axios reached out to the campaign for comment.

• The Sheehy campaign did not respond to the request.

• One of the Instagram posts from June 2022 that was liked by Oriet says "Don't follow me for my cute cat posting if you can't stand by me when I deny the Holocaust."

• Many of the posts were from the meme account "its.okay.to.be.christian," which Oriet followed, and regularly posts antisemitic content.

• Zoom out: Sheehy's campaign last week brushed aside the Daily Beast's reporting that claimed Oriet engaged with racist content on X, formerly known as Twitter.

• For example, Oriet liked a post that referred to Black people as "the most criminal, dependent, and socially destructive part" of the U.S population.
   

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