Anti-Semitism Lawsuit Entangles Carmaker Chrysler: Ohio Parts Supplier Wants Jurors Asked About Hitler, Holocaust

MARION, Ohio (TDB) -- A Jewish-owned Ohio company that supplied parts for a Chrysler LLC die-casting plant contends in a federal civil-rights lawsuit that it lost the automaker's business because of "anti-Jewish racial animus.'' The case between Semco Inc. in Marion and the Detroit car manufacturer -- which was under German control until last year -- is set for a jury trial March 3 in Columbus. Court records show U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frost rejected Chrysler's attempts to have the lawsuit dismissed last December. Now, The Daily Bellwether has learned, a pre-trial dispute has erupted over jury questionnaires mentioning the Holocaust and Hitler.

Chrysler, founded in 1925, formerly was known as DaimlerChrysler Corp. and is now owned by Cerebrus Capital Management LP and Daimler AG, the German manufacturer of Mercedes Benz automobiles. Chrysler's lawyers are trying to block prospective jurors from being asked to fill out written questionnaires that ask their opinions about the Holocaust, Israel and prejudice against Jews. The automaker says the questions on the forms "could influence and inflame the passions of prospective jurors" against Chrysler. Here is some of what the company's lawyers have written in a court filing:

"The following questions best illustrate the point that Semco is inapproprately attempting to use a Court-administered document to influence the prospective jurors for the singular goal of seeking insight into how receptive the jurors will be to Semco's theories in this case:

• Question 13: There has been some controversy over the Holocaust recently. What are your feelings about how the Holocaust has been portrayed in history?
• Question 14: How have events in Israel and the Middle East over the years affected your feelings about the Jewish people?
• Question 16: Some people blieve that Jewish people have way too much power in government, the banking system, and other areas of US life. What do you think about this?
• Question 17: What are your feelings about the Jewish faith?
• Question 19: Do you think harassment of or prejudice against Jewish people in the US is a serious problem today?
• Question 20: How significant a problem do you think prejudice against Jewish people is in this part of Ohio?"

Chrysler's lawyer, Heidi N. Eischen of Toledo, seemed particularly disturbed about the Holocaust question. She called it "designed to evoke an intellectual, emotional, or ethical response in the prospective jurors and to conjure mental images of Nazi Germany, Hitler, and mass murder. The only conceivable purpose of submitting this question and questions like it to prospective jurors is to cause them to associate Chrysler with those negative mental images and to stimulate feelings of sympathy for Jewish people and the plaintiff. Including such a grossly inflamatory and prejudicial topic in a Court-administered document is inappropriate."

The lawsuit is Semco Inc. vs. Chrysler LLC, Case No. 2:06-CV-0784 in the Southern District of Ohio. Semco landed the contract with Chrysler's Kokomo, Ind., die-casting plant in 1993. It lost the business in 2005. Chrysler contends discrimination had nothing to do with its decision. The contract was valuable -- court records show Semco sold $709,628.15 worth of parts to the Kokomo Casting Plant in 2003.

DNC: Mitt Romney Finance Chief Tied To Hitler Ads In Michigan

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Democratic National Committee teed off on Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, saying a top moneyman helped finance ads that used images of Hitler and a Swastika in attack ads. The DNC called them "hate-filled" efforts in an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who won a second term. A story last week in the Detroit Free Press tracked down campaign finance reports about the Hitler ad. John Rakolta, the DNC said, is Romney's former brother-in-law.

Rakolta shows up in this campaign presser from January (scan down through it). Rakolta has served as Romania's honorary consul in Detroit, and operates a large construction company. An excerpt of the DNC's reaction today follows:

"It's been quite a week for smooth talking Mitt Romney. First he ignites a firestorm by quoting Fidel Castro in Miami. Now one of his leading fundraisers is linked to a campaign ad featuring Adolph Hitler. According to campaign finance records, Romney backer John Rakolta was one of the primary funders of a Michigan group responsible for hate-filled ads targeting Governor Jennifer Granholm in last year's election.

"The ads, purchased by a group called Voice the Vote, featured images of Hitler and a swastika alongside Governor Granholm and Democratic Presidents Clinton, Carter, Johnson, and Roosevelt. Rakolta, who serves as Romney's national finance co-chair and the co-chair of his Commonwealth PAC, and his wife each gave $5,000 to Voice the Vote last year.

"The news that one of Romney's leading fundraisers backed a racist ad in Michigan comes days after the Washington Post reported that Bob Perry, who gave $4.5 million to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's campaign in 2004 to distort John Kerry's military record, is now raising money for Romney.

"Romney's decision to team up with Perry comes despite the fact that he once championed tough campaign finance proposals that would have limited the influence of people like Perry."

"DNC spokesman Damien LaVera said:

"With the voters rejecting his smooth talk, it looks like Mitt Romney's campaign will take a decidedly nasty and desperate turn. If Mitt Romney is serious about providing the American people an honest debate on the issues people care about, he needs to disavow the attack ads . . . "