Glenn Youngkin touts Burke rally crowd as Virginia election nears
The Falls Church Republican tells 'Hannity' opponent Terry McAuliffe is wrong on education, other policies
A local Virginia reporter is facing backlash for suggesting GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin calling out operatives funded by liberal megadonor George Soros is "anti-Semitic."
WUSA9 reporter Bruce Leshan shared a clip of Youngkin offering fiery remarks from a Tuesday night rally, claiming the "present chaos in our schools" can be laid at the feet of his Democratic opponent, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who he swiped as a "40-year politician."
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"Square at Terry McAuliffe's feet but also at George Soros-backed allies," Youngkin added, which his supporters agreed with loud jeers. "These allies that are in the left, liberal, progressive movement- they've inserted political operatives into our school system disguised as school boards."
On Wednesday, Leshan tweeted, "Critics might question whether this is antisemitic."
Critics, in turn, blasted the CBS affiliate reporter for ginning up the anti-Semitic narrative regarding Soros, who for decades has been reviled by conservatives and Republicans for being a major financial player in Democratic politics and advancing the progressive agenda.
"This is so gross. Using this standard no one is allowed to criticize any political operative who happens to be Jewish. Soros *is* a major funder of the 'left, liberal, progressive movement' and an opponent of the Jewish state," National Review senior writer David Harsanyi tweeted.
"So let me get this straight—unless you praise Soros, you can’t talk about Soros? ‘Critics might question’ your transparent buffoonery," Fox News' Laura Ingraham told Leshan.
"I have seen few greater PR coup’s than George Soros and the left getting reporters to instinctively suggest that any mention of a legitimate Soros connection is anti-Semitic," GOP strategist Matt Whitlock wrote.
"It is not in any way anti-Semitic to point out that George Soros is a major political donor to Left-wing causes. That is a simple fact," The Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro reacted.
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"Why might critics question that? Because you draw a direct connection between Jews and Money in your own head so assume others do too?" conservative commentator Eddie Scarry asked.
"Even mentioning Soros is antiSemitic now? Impressive," New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz quipped.
"Critics might question your merit as a journalist," anti-critical race theory activist Christopher Rufo swiped the reporter.
"If you want to be this dishonest in declaring disagreement with Soros to be anti-Semitism, just quit and officially join the McAuliffe campaign," NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck tweeted.
"This right here is why people loathe the media," The Federalist senior editor and "Rigged" author Mollie Hemingway wrote.
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Youngkin campaign communications director Matthew Wolking told Fox News, "The Twitter ratio he received for his ridiculous partisan nonsense was well deserved."
Leshan did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
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