An Ohio restaurant canceled a campaign event for Republican gubernatorial candidate Casey Putsch after citing his past remarks about Nazis, prompting him to relocate the rally to a “secret location.”
The Wielezynski family, owners of La Chatelaine French Bakery & Bistro, stated on Wednesday that they withdrew from hosting the April 17 event at its Worthington location after learning of statements Putsch had made about Adolf Hitler, Nazis and the Holocaust.
“We unequivocally denounce those who express pro-Nazi opinions and beliefs and will not host individuals who are at odds with our stance,” the family said, noting their roots in Poland, France and Belgium and relatives who suffered under Nazi persecution.
“We acknowledge we should have more carefully researched him and his campaign before agreeing to host this event,” the owners stated. “We sincerely apologize for this oversight.”
Putsch, a northwest Ohio entrepreneur known online as “Casey the Car Guy,” is running in the Republican primary for governor alongside Vivek Ramaswamy and Heather Hill. The winner is expected to face Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate, in November.
The controversy follows criticism of Putsch’s campaign messaging, including promotion of an April 9 “beer hall rally” in Toledo — a name widely viewed as a reference to the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, Adolf Hitler’s failed coup attempt in Munich.
“Drive your German car to the brewery and Beer Hall Rally, and I’ll buy you a beer,” he wrote. “It’s okay if it rains. German cars don’t rust like Italian, Japanese or British. And who drives a Russian or Israeli car anyway?”
After the cancellation, Putsch said the event was called off “due to extreme harassment from the left and Vivek shills,” adding that he relocated it “to protect the French restaurant owners.”
He has denied Nazi sympathies, but has drawn scrutiny for past comments about Hitler, rhetoric targeting Israel and Jewish figures and received support from white nationalist podcaster Nick Fuentes.
“The Israel conundrum has become all too clear to everybody,” Putsch said during an appearance on “The Amy Dangerfield Show.”
“We’re all tired of the silly names they call all of us when we want to criticize something that’s obviously wrong for America, wrong for the world, and frankly just evil actions while using a religion as a shield and propagandizing Americans and Christians into thinking it’s okay,” he said.
At a March 21 rally, he said of the Iran war, “Israel. That’s why we’re there,” pledging to pull Ohio investments in Israel bonds if he becomes governor.
