Gottheimer Blasted for Racist Social Media Portrayal of Frank Pallotta

RAMSEY, NJ – Yesterday, Josh Gottheimer’s campaign released a graphic on social media attacking his opponent’s interaction with people “not wearing masks or social distancing.” The graphic contains a doctored photo of Republican Frank Pallotta with his face darkened and a certain shadow cast over him that has been labeled racist and xenophobic.

Pallotta’s campaign coalition, Italian Americans for Pallotta, has released a statement condemning Josh Gottheimer for this “mob boss” depiction of the Republican candidate.

“I find it very interesting that the Democrat Party points fingers at Republicans for inequality, yet they have no problem making obvious mob references and perpetuating these obscene epithets that seek to paint Italian Americans with a broad brush. The Democrats’ so-called love and tolerance ends right there when the situation involves a strong Republican candidate in a highly competitive District like NJ-5“, said Corrado Belgiovine of Woodcliff Lake, leader of Italian Americans for Pallotta. “As an Italian American, I am proud of my heritage. I am proud to support another hard working Italian American who I know will represent our District well.”

Concetto Formica, Franklin Borough Councilman and also leader of Italian Americans for Pallotta, says this was intentional: “This post making Frank appear to be a mobster was not a mistake, and it is just unacceptable. Is this how Gottheimer and his team perceive every Italian?”

They both concluded:

“We live in times in which the Italian American community is directly under attack, as can be seen with the recent trend of ripping down statues of Christopher Columbus nationwide. Josh Gottheimer is perpetuating a gross and deeply offensive stereotype against Italian Americans. We are neither rapists nor pillagers. We are not mobsters. Unlike Josh Gottheimer and his campaign, we are not racists. We are hard workers with strong American values, and with our help, Frank Pallotta will be our next Congressman.”

These are the same Democrats that darkened a photo, just last year, of an African American Republican Assembly Candidate in District 1.