Shelly Arnoldi, a Northern Virginia congressional candidate, recently reposted videos promoting Nazi ideology, including one featuring Adolf Hitler and another defending Nazi book burnings, local outlet ARLnow reported.
Arnoldi, the Libertarian candidate in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, reposted a video last week that begins with Hitler speaking about “Jewish globalization” and alleging a plan to “exterminate the European race.” On Tuesday, she reposted a video defending Nazi book burnings and another by antisemitic commentator Nick Fuentes that falsely attributes the Nazi campaign to a Jewish Marxist effort to promote transgenderism.
The videos are part of a broader pattern of antisemitic rhetoric on Arnoldi’s X account, which has about 8,000 followers, according to ARLnow. Jewish Insider reported in February that Arnoldi had promoted conspiracy theories about Jewish control of U.S. politics, told Jews to “move to Israel” and expressed support for neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers, drawing criticism from Jewish community leaders and organizations.
The reports prompted criticism from Jewish community leaders, including the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, which condemned Arnoldi’s comments during her campaign for chair of the Fairfax County Republican Committee. The group cited her claims that Jews control the world, that Jews were plotting to weaken the U.S. government and that Israel “owns” America.
“Jews have encountered these types of baseless and reprehensible charges for thousands of years, but we do not have the luxury of ignoring or becoming numb to them,” the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington wrote of the posts.
Arnoldi rejected the allegations of Jew-hatred, telling ARLnow: “I’m an American patriot concerned about our national debt and the future of our country. I have taken the oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution twice. Accusing people of racism is a way to violate the First Amendment and deflect away from my platform.”
Arnoldi is challenging incumbent Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) in the Nov. 3 election. The 8th Congressional District includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County.
