Dave McCormick’s Rumble stake draws fire amid hate speech concerns

State Rep. Dan Frankel doesn’t shy away from calling out social media sites used as platforms for hate and antisemitism.

In 2022, Frankel criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano and his connection to Gab, a social media network that claims to be a haven for free speech. It hosts neo-Nazi, alt-right, racist and antisemitic posts and conversations. Its founder Andrew Torba is the co-author of the book “Christian Nationalism: A Biblical Guide for Taking Dominion and Discipling Nations.” The man who murdered 11 Jews in the Tree of Life building in 2018 was a frequent user of the site.

In response to his criticism, Frankel, whose district includes Squirrel Hill, was targeted with antisemitic threats by platform users.

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When Frankel heard about Rumble, he was surprised to find that it, too, is a home of antisemitic and white supremacist posts.

“It harbors Holocaust deniers, folks who have been thrown off of other platforms, white nationalistic stuff. It’s promoted vaccine misinformation,” Frankel said. “It’s pretty disturbing.

And like Gab, Rumble has a connection to a Pennsylvania election. This time, it’s the Senate race between Democrat incumbent Bob Casey Jr. and Republican challenger David McCormick.

According to financial disclosures reported by American Journal News, McCormick holds between $1 million and $5 million of stock in Rumble Incorporated.

The investment doesn’t sit well with Frankel.

“We’re calling out Dave McCormick because he’s a significant investor in that platform,” Frankel said.

One doesn’t have to look far, Frankel said, to find a connection between sites like Gab and Rumble and violence against the Jewish community.

“You saw what happened with the guy who murdered 11 of our neighbors at the Tree of Life synagogue,” he said. “It’s always a concern that these platforms potentially create the environment for somebody like that to act on some of these hate-filled communications that are part and parcel with these extremist groups.”

Before murdering 11 Jewish Pittsburghers in the deadliest antisemitic act in U.S. history, the shooter wrote “Screw your optics, I’m going in” on Gab, where he had a long history of antisemitic and anti-immigrant posts.

Rumble platforms personalities like Nick Fuentes, an American far-right political commentator who has praised Adolf Hitler, was kicked off YouTube for violating its hate speech policy and is known for his white supremacist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic views.

McCormick spokesperson Elizabeth Gregory takes umbrage with Frankel’s criticism of McCormick, saying his support of the Jewish community is indisputable.

“These accusations are akin to saying anyone who invests in Twitter or Facebook is responsible for the content of every post on the platform,” she said. “Dave has and will continue to forcefully condemn antisemitism.”

Frankel though, questions McCormick’s commitment to the Jewish community.

“He was at the Tree of Life ceremony this fall, he’s ostensibly a member of the Squirrel Hill community,” Frankel said, “although his main residence is in Connecticut. But if he wants to be consistent and supportive of our community and the Jewish community generally, as well as other vulnerable groups, why is he investing in a platform that is a safe harbor for these extremist groups that promote antisemitism, Holocaust denial and other conspiracy theories?”

That argument, however, doesn’t hold weight for members of the McCormick campaign, who highlight what they see as proof of McCormick’s commitment to the Jewish community when compared to the Democratic incumbent.

“McCormick’s strong voice against the antisemitic encampments terrorizing college campuses is a sharp contrast to Bob Casey, who has repeatedly failed to speak out,” Gregory said.

Squirrel Hill resident Lou Weiss, who is active in Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, agrees with Gregory. He said there hasn’t been a stronger voice against antisemitism than McCormick’s.

“Dave has stood shoulder to shoulder with myself and other members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community at the Sunday Squirrel Hill vigils to demand for the return of the Israeli hostages and attended the five-year anniversary of the Tree of Life attack. I’m proud to call him a true friend,” Weiss said.

Casey told the Chronicle that he believes McCormick should divest from Rumble and condemn the hate spewed on the platform.

“It’s reprehensible and really hard for me to understand why anyone would invest a single dollar in a website that platforms hate the way this particular website does,” Casey said.

Frankel’s criticism of the site hasn’t gone unnoticed by Rumble officials.

TribLive reported that Rumble’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, accusing Frankel of using defamatory and false rhetoric in criticism of the company.

Rumble’s lawyer said the Democratic Party could face “substantial liability” if doesn’t correct the statements.

Frankel doesn’t seem too concerned over the legal threats of Rumble, which claims it’s “on a mission to protect a free and open internet for people who believe in authentic expression.”

“I think it’s a pretty lame reason to sue somebody,” Frankel said, “particularly when you’re talking about free speech. We had the same issue with Gab, and I don’t recall that they threatened to sue.”

Casey praised Dan Frankel and condemned the threats.

“He’s a distinguished member of the General Assembly, who also happens to be a member of the community where the Tree of Life happened. He’s been a leader in the fight against antisemitism,” Casey said. “If anything, he should be commended for his efforts to speak out against this website that platforms hate, including Holocaust denial and antisemitism.”

Rumble officials did not respond to requests for an interview by the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.