Arizona GOP state lawmaker sparks furor over Holocaust comparison tweet
PHOENIX - A Republican state lawmaker in Arizona is under fire for an offensive tweet that some say references the Holocaust.
State Rep. Mark Finchem is apparently upset with the hotel chain Loews, after it cancelled a fundraiser in Orlando, Fla. for GOP Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri.
On Jan. 6, prior to the riots which left five people dead, Hawley was the first senator to challenge the Electoral College results that confirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump.
In addition, Sen. Hawley was also seen outside the Capitol building, raising his fist as he greeted a crowd of protesters.
In a statement following the deadly riot, officials with Loews Hotels wrote:
"We are horrified and opposed to the events at the Capitol and all who supported and incited the actions. In light of those events and for the safety of our guests and team members, we have informed the host of the February fundraiser that it will no longer be held at Loews Hotels."
On Jan. 17, State Rep. Finchem sent out a tweet that reads:
"Lowe’s has permanently lost my business. This is what Hitler and Stalin did. What’s next Camps? Ovens? Patriots, you might want to #cancelLoews reservations."
According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Holocaust was a systemic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jewish people by the Nazi German regime, its allies, and collaborators.
That tweet has been widely condemned. In a statement released on Jan. 18, Progress Arizona Executive Director Emily Kirkland says:
"The fact that Mark Finchem is still a sitting state legislator is an embarrassment to this entire state. As long as he continues to occupy his sea, it sends a message that the Arizona Legislature is okay with his rhetoric and behavior. If he won’t resign, it’s time for him to be expelled."
On Jan. 13, FOX 10 reported that Arizona Democrats called on the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department to investigate State Rep. Finchem, who was in Washington, D.C. on the day of the deadly riot. State Rep. Finchem says he never entered the building.
State Rep. Mark Finchem (Courtesy: Arizona State Legislature)
State Rep. Finchem represents State House District 11, which covers portions of Casa Grande and parts of Pima County north of Tucson, He has falsely claimed that it was Antifa members who breached the capitol. He was also part of the so-called "Stop The Steal" effort that has levied unfounded allegations of electoral fraud.
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