OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state Republican Party is demanding Democrats return a $50,000 donation from spiritualist J.Z. Knight.
This comes after a YouTube video surfaced showing Knight referring to Catholics, Jews and homosexuals in the ugliest of terms.
A former member of Knight's school in Yelm posted the video because she says the school gets special treatment from the county when it comes to land use issues.
"And don't you tell me that good Catholics, those ----ing homosexual priests…" Knight says in the video.
In another clip, Knight uses obscene language attacking Jews, saying "… wanted you to be wealthy and you gave it up to a ----ing Jew."
"J.Z. is pretending to be channeling Ramtha," said Virginia Cloverdale, who posted the video.
Knight describes Ramtha as a 35,000-year-old warrior from the spirit world who speaks wisdom through her.
"The attack on the Catholic Church has been an ongoing message for 20 years," Cloverdale said.
Cloverdale said the attack part of the video took place in February of this year and that in September, Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Ramero appeared at a candidate forum held at Knight's ranch.
Romero said Knight is her largest individual contributor.
Question: "If you had known of those views, would you have accepted her money?"
Romero: "But I don't know, you know, I don't know the context of those views."
Question: "But in what context would it be OK to use the F-word to describe Catholics or the F-word to describe Jews?
Romero: "I don't believe you should use the F-word to describe anybody."
We asked Romero and the Democratic Party about returning Knight's contributions. They both said no.
"The Democrats, the tolerant party, seem to think this is OK. And I don't understand that one," Cloverdale said.
An email from Knight's publicist said "The quotes were taken out of context and not meant to disparage Catholics."
"The comments were meant to draw attention to the abuses and subsequent cover-ups of the Catholic Church..." and "JZ Knight has always supported the rights of the LGBT community."
KIRO
