Antisemitism, anyone?

Alternet reports today's republican oopsie; it appears that various organizations, such as the republican Governor's Association as well as other so-called "christian" groups, have been buying mailing lists from a company that primarily peddles the list of America's most notorious anti-Semitic magazine, the Free Press.

A Virginia company that sells mailing lists of far-right and racist groups has found willing clients in establishment GOP organizations like the Republican Governors Association.

For eight years, a major direct-mail firm "specializing in the Christian and conservative markets" has been selling lists of the readers of America's leading anti-Semitic newspaper and, since about 2001, its successor publication.

Response Unlimited, based in Waynesboro, Va., and headed by Christian Right activist Philip Zodhiates, charges $100 for the rental of every 1,000 names of subscribers to the now-defunct Spotlight newspaper. Founded by veteran anti-Semite Willis Carto, The Spotlight carried anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic and wildly conspiracist articles interspersed with ads for Klan, neo-Nazi and related hate groups.

Zodhiates also peddles lists of subscribers to the American Free Press, which replaced The Spotlight when that tabloid was shut down amid legal and financial troubles surrounding Carto. The Free Press began immediately after The Spotlight fizzled in 2001 and picked up many of its predecessor paper's propagandists.

Today, the Free Press carries stories on Zionism, secret "New World Order" conspiracies, American Jews and Israel. Mixed in are advertisements for outfits like Pete Peter's Scriptures for America and Kingdom Identity Ministries -- practitioners of Christian Identity, a theology that claims that Jews are the literal descendants of Satan.

Zodhiates did not respond to E-mail and telephone requests for comment from the Intelligence Report. But it's clear that the lists have sold well, especially to political groups on the right. According to Response Unlimited's website, Spotlight list purchasers have included the Republican Governors Association; the National Right to Work Foundation; the Mountain States Legal Foundation; U.S. English, an English-only group; and the hard-right Washington Times newspaper.

Interesting. Perhaps they should stick to setting up hooker rings; that seems just a bit more savory.