Thomas Cole calls media watchdog report a “smear attempt”
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Thomas Cole, congressional candidate for California's 24th District, is calling a media watchdog report on his previous social media posts a "smear attempt."
A report by Media Matters highlights a series of social media posts by Cole, calling for a "crusade" against "Muslim invaders," the utilization of an antisemitic symbol, and the use of an anti-LGBTQ slur.
In January 2023, Cole responded to a quote about the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with the use of triple parentheses. The use of triple parentheses is a far-right tactic that is used by antisemites to attach Jewish people online according to Media Matters.
Cole calls the report a "Soros-funded Media Matters smear." George Soros is a Hungarian-American philanthropist who has donated $1 million to Media Matters, according to the New York Times.
"Many of my friends are Jewish," according to Cole in response to the report. "On the Fair Education group I was apart of, we have gay people who agreed that protecting children from inappropriate sexual propaganda is not hate," said Cole in response to the use of the anti-LGBTQ slur. Cole calls himself a "peace Republican."
Carbajal's campaign said "Thomas Cole's campaign spews hateful rhetoric against LGBTQ+ individuals," and the congressman did not want to give Cole a forum to share messages that "pose a threat to Central Coast residents."
Cole reacted to the announcement calling the congressman, "chicken."
