Eugene Knox, a Shamokin, Pa. dentist with political ambitions who says he is “for Americanizing Zionism and breaking up double loyalty,” is sending anti-Semitic mail to prominent persons in the Pennsylvania Democratic Party as part of his campaign for nomination to be Governor.
According to Jewish Exponent staff writer lan Blynn, Knox has addressed such letters to Edward Mezvinsky, chairman of the Democratic State Committee, who is Jewish, implying that Mezvinsky is disloyal and “locked into the power struggle of the International Jewish community and forced to abide by the World Jewish Congress umbrella group of 62 nations.”
In 1974, Knox, whose name originally was Konopka, won more than 6,000 votes in his district’s Congressional primaries, running second in a field of three candidates. In 1976 he sought the Democratic Presidential nomination.
In his letters to Democrats and others, he refers to Mezvinsky as a “kosher carpetbagger.” He also assailed Philadelphia District Attorney Edward Rendell and Cyril Wecht, a candidate for the Democratic Senatorial nomination.
According to Knox, “All Zionists are expected to support the all-kosher Mezvinsky-Rendell-Wecht team plus any pro-Zionist such as would vote against selling our airplanes (AWACS) and is an easily controlled lawyer in this Jew-dominated field.”
According to the Exponent, Knox is known for his dislike of Blacks and Welshmen as well as of Jews. The paper quoted a source in Shamokin as recalling that a few years ago Knox was involved in a “pushing and shoving match” with the Mayor of Shamokin and a City Council member when they tried to stop him from giving out leaflets alleging a Jewish-Welsh conspiracy.
The Philadelphia office of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith which keeps a file on Knox, said he got into a fracas for attempting to distribute anti-Semitic circulars.
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