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Civil Liberties Union Refuses to Defend Anti-semitic ‘rat Finks’

February 11, 1966
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An ultra-right faction of the New Jersey Young Republicans, known as the Rat Finks, which has been charged with anti-Semitic and anti-Negro activities, has asked for help from the American Civil Liberties Union but the request has been declined, it was reported here today.

Edward Connolly of Paterson, chairman of the Bergen County Young Republicans and a Rat Fink leader, reportedly visited the Newark office of the Civil Liberties Union and asked its officials to provide aid in defending the faction against charges that its members sang blatantly anti-Semitic and racist songs at state and national Young Republican conventions last summer.

Young Republican and Senior Republican leaders at the national, regional and state levels have started investigations. Formal hearings will open in Trenton on February 19. National Young Republican leaders said their phase of the investigation would be closed. Regional and state leaders said they would conduct their hearing in public sessions.

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