Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren continues to be under fire over wife's alleged behavior скачать в хорошем качестве

Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren continues to be under fire over wife's alleged behavior

Days after his wife was accused of making various antisemitic remarks, Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren broke his public silence on Wednesday, expressing solidarity with the Jewish people while calling the overall claims made in a recent federal complaint "false." In a 15-minute statement posted to social media, Seren defended both himself and his wife — Natalie McDaniel — from charges of bigotry against the city's Orthodox Jewish community. He asserted that many of the purported conversations and remarks were "altered" or taken out of context, and alleged that former city employee Patrick Costigan only made the claims after Seren rejected his offer to stay quiet in exchange for $300,000 and a job recommendation. "It is incredibly disappointing that he would make these false accusations and put targets on our backs," Seren said of Costigan, who worked as an aide in the mayor's office. The bombshell allegations first came to light last week in the form of a complaint filed with both the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. The documents accuse McDaniel of making a number of antisemitic and offensive remarks both inside City Hall and in text message chains that included her husband, such as labeling the Orthodox Jewish chair of the City Planning Commission as a "brood mare" and allegedly referring to a resident as "that Jewish b----." The complaint also says McDaniel targeted Cleveland Heights' Taylor neighborhood, home to many of the city's Orthodox Jewish citizens. Seren began his video message by recounting his past experiences with and love for the Jewish community, noting that his own godmother is Jewish and that his wife grew up in Taylor, "playing with Orthodox Jewish kids on the block (and) developing friendships with Jewish people throughout her life." "One area where my wife and I are in very clear alignment is in our shared belief that anti-Jewish hatred and antisemitism, as described in the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) working definition, has no place in our community or any other," Seren declared. "We are not claiming that because we have Jewish friends that we are immune to the impact of being socialized in America, but I offer our backgrounds to impress upon you that any accusation of either of us hating the Jewish people is false." Annabelle Childers reports: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/loc... -- At 3News, we’re not here to tell you the news, we’re here to share the stories that you say matter most to you. Share your ideas, thoughts, concerns and engage in conversations about the communities in which we all call home. Follow 3News on Social: Facebook:   / wkyc.channel3   Twitter:   / wkyc   Instagram:   / wkyc3   Visit our site: https://www.wkyc.com/ And be sure to download our app here: https://wkyc.com/app