Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) swung by a Chicago-area synagogue for a worship service on the eve of Yom Kippur last week, upsetting congregants and provoking one man to mount a campaign for her Democratic challenger before the end of the night, the Chicago Tribune reports.
According to the Tribune, Rabbi Michael Siegel of Anshe Emet Synagogue observed protocol by offering a customary greeting to Bachmann during the services. While elected officials are traditionally acknowledged during such events at the temple, the presence of the conservative Minnesota firebrand prompted particular displeasure.
Some reportedly walked out of the ceremony, while Gary Sircus, a 25-year member of Anshe Emet Synagogue, voiced more active opposition to Bachmann’s attendance.
“Our congregation values and embodies tolerance, compassion, respect for individual rights, intelligence, science — all of the things that I think Michele Bachmann stands against,” said Sircus, according to the Tribune
Bachmann has been a vocal supporter of Israel and an unabashed opponent of gay rights, an awkward policy duo on that particular night; Siegel told the Tribune that the night’s service had included a piece honoring Israel for its openness to the LGBT community.
Among Bachmann’s many controversial statements about the LGBT community, she has likened homosexuality to “bondage,” “child abuse” and “sexual dysfunction.”
Ben Strauss of Chicago, a member of Anshe Emet, was present that night and explained the uncomfortable incident in an interview with HuffPost Live on Monday (video above).
“It was bizarre,” Strauss said. “You have to understand, this is a congregation on the north side of Chicago located in a part of the city that is very LGBT friendly, and given her political leanings it was a strange fit.”
Hours after storming out of the service, Sircus donated to Jim Graves, Bachmann’s Democratic opponent in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District. Even though he doesn’t vote in the state, he forwarded his message to his friends and encouraged them to also contribute.
The Graves campaign told the Tribune that it experienced a 400 percent growth in donations from the Chicago area last week, though it’s unclear if Sircus is to credit for this trend.
