[Fredricka Whitfield, Newsroom Anchor, Cnn:] All right. We're now learning the man charged with writing anti-semitic messages inside a Brooklyn synagogue once worked to fight hate crimes. Twenty six year-old James Polite is facing four hate crime charges, including arson, for allegedly setting a fire at a Jewish study school, just miles from the synagogue. Polite reportedly worked on anti-hate crime initiatives about a decade ago as an intern for former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Polite's life, which included years in and out of the foster care system, was profiled in a New York Times piece last year. CNN Correspondent Polo Sandoval is live for us at the Union Temple in Brooklyn this afternoon. So Polo, what else are we learning?
[Polo Sandoval, Correspondent, Cnn:] You know, Fred, the NYPD posted outside of this temple for much of the day here. Now, police saying that they suspect that James Polite was not only responsible for the vandalism that took place here, but also at least six other locations here in the Brooklyn area. Most of them related to the Jewish community. Exactly who this person is, well, you can dig up an article from 2017 in the New York Times, who was essentially a profile on James Polite. It tells a very different or at least paints a very different picture of the 26-year-old man, as you mentioned, somebody who had struggled with not only homelessness but also various issues, had eventually secured an internship with a high-ranking city official in the city of New York. That official that you mentioned there now speaking out, obviously saying that [Inaudible] these allegations but at the same time something like this certainly unacceptable. When you look at that profile piece by the New York Times, you're also able to read that this individual attended Brandeis University, apparently had taken was ordered to take a health leave of absence because he apparently had been smoking marijuana for to relieve some stress. The New York Times writing that during that treatment, during that rehabilitation period, it was discovered that he suffered from bipolar disorder. Again, all of this written by the New York Times, we do understand again, that this individual is still in custody. In fact, he was arrested not far from this location after police were investigating an arson that investigators believe he likely is behind as well. All of these various charges, Fred, they are all being treated as hate crimes tonight.
[Whitfield:] All right. Polo Sandoval, thank you so much. All right, meantime, the city of Pittsburgh is rallying around its Jewish community in the wake of its own hate crime. Today, Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger honored the victims of last weekend's deadly synagogue shooting by wearing these special cleats with the words stronger than hate. The heated and divisive rhetoric of this election season is a concern for so many voters, including people in the area where that attack in Pittsburgh happened. And that is also where a hotly contested congressional race is playing out. The latest poll from Monmouth University shows Republican Congressman Keith Rothfus trailing Democrat Conor Lamb by 12 points, Congressman Rothfus joining me now from Pittsburgh. Good to see you.
[Rep. Keith Rothfus , Pennsylvania Congressman:] Good afternoon.
[Whitfield:] So just a week ago, the worst anti-semitic attack on American, you know, Jewish people happened in your community. Synagogue members and even the Rabbi said this caustic language preceding that shooting has to end. So how will you help end discourse and promote civility?
[Rothfus:] Yeah. This has been a traumatic week for the city. And Rabbi Myers has really done a tremendous job in showing leadership himself. As he said, I think yesterday on the program about being a victim, about being a pastor, being a witness, he has a compelling testimony. I was able to participate in the show up for Shabbat yesterday with members of the Jewish community. It was an incredible privilege to do so. You know after this heinous attack happened last Saturday, I went home. And like all of us, you know, we're struggling with this in our own individual way. And I talked to the folks who do my ads and I said, look, we need something that's transcendent. We need something that speaks of Lincoln, speaks of the founding, speaks of the God-given dignity and value of every human life. Because that kind of sums up what I talk about all the time, about getting people back in the game and a fair playing field. And they came up with some ideas, and we launched an ad last Tuesday. It's really a message of hope. And I hope a message of healing for people. And so we've gotten a very good response to it.
[Whitfield:] And is that the same ad that, you know, you apparently you do target your you know, competitor Conor Lamb? And there has been a response that they thought it was largely negative, and you're saying it's largely positive?
[Rothfus:] No, no, no, no. You have to take a look at the ad called indivisible. This is not even a political ad. I think it's more of a public service announcement about everything that this country is and everything we want this country to be. And there have been divided times in our history before, 1968 was a very divided time in our country, and so was the 1850s. And Abraham Lincoln talked about the need to go back and look at what's in our Declaration of Independence. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all are created equal and [Inaudible] by your creator with certain [Inaudible] rights. That's the fabric of our country. And that's what we need to be talking about.
[Whitfield:] So then how do you combat the style the style and approach that you've taken by way of your most recent ad and even your language right now, which is promoting civility? How do you combat, you know, words from the President, who you are a supporter of? And when the President uses words like invaders and, you know, talking about, you know, migrants making their way, you know, to the southern border. And then the President has also praised a Montana congressman for, you know, body slamming a reporter.
[Rothfus:] Yeah.
[Whitfield:] You know how do you square the difference? How do you, you know, take the approach of civility, advocacy, of peace and harmony, and at the same time, you know, be an ardent supporter of the President who uses those tactics to persuade or stir his base?
[Rothfus:] Look, anybody who knows me, knows the language I use. And the language I have used throughout my career, both in public life and in private life. You know my opponent's first ad talked about knock him out. Look, I don't use that kind of rhetoric. I know others do. We can take we can have we should be having discussions about what's going on around the world. We should be having a discussion about the caravan in Mexico. We should have a discussion about the need to secure our borders. I am in western Pennsylvania. We have a horrific opioid crisis. We really don't get to talk a lot about the 90 percent of the heroin that is coming into our country courtesy of the evil cartels in Mexico. This is an issue that I have raised a number of times in hearings about what's been happening south of the border, 150,000 dead over the last 10 years. These cartels kill with impunity. The cartels control what's going on at the border and traffic humans and drugs into this country. We have a need to secure that border. Countries have a right to secure their border. That's the kind of conversation we should be having. People can use different types of rhetoric. I know I have always been very deliberate with the language I use, because I am looking for solutions. We had a bill up a couple of months ago that would have provided a good solution, would have provided a legal status for the DACA kids, would have ended family separations at the border, but would have secured the border. Those are the kinds of things that we should be talking about. And then also, talk about, frankly, the best economy we've had in 20 years that's lifting everybody. I talk a lot about the need to get everybody back in the game. People need to talk about the opportunity's own program that Senator Tim Scott put into the tax bill. That's going to provide a lot of opportunity for communities that have been bypassed for decades. So there are a lot of good things that are happening. And it's unfortunate that we see the rhetoric that's repeated in the media, the social media. People get into their own little eco-chambers, and it reinforces what they're hearing from other sources. We need to have more deep and meaningful conversations. And I think Rabbi Myers really has just done a wonderful job.
[Whitfield:] Are you in agreement even the Rabbi said, it begins with leaders. And do you agree with Rabbi saying, you know, cleaning up that rhetoric or at least sending the right message, it really starts from the top?
[Rothfus:] Well, again, I am responsible for the words I use. And I am always willing to engage in conversation. And that's one of the reasons I wanted to put this ad out there, because I want that ad to be a conversation piece. I want people to be focusing on what unites us, not what divides us, and you have just like Lincoln did, look at what's in that declaration. Look at what makes America exceptional. It's we have, again, the best economy going in 20 years, but we also need to be talking about some of those broader aspects that cause us to raise our gaze as it were, and what makes us unique about a country.
[Whitfield:] All right. Congressman Keith Rothfus, we'll leave it there for now. Thank you so much.
[Rothfus:] Thank you.
[Whitfield:] And we're back in a moment.