A major Republican donor said Thursday he had heard an anti-Semitic remark made by Missouri GOP chairman against the state auditor who later killed himself believing he was being targeted for his religion . David Humphreys released a signed affidavit saying state GOP chairman John Hancock mentioned November 24 , when he was still a party consultant , that Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich was Jewish . 'The meaning I took from Mr. Hancock 's statement and tone of his comments was clear : He ( Tom Schweich ) is Jewish — in case you did n't know — and that being Jewish is a negative attribute for Tom Schweich 's gubernatorial race , ' Humphreys affirmed in the affidavit . Auditor Tom Schweich ( left ) committed suicide believing himself to be target of anti-Semitic smear campaign , which a top Republican donor said Missouri GOP chairman John Hancock ( right ) joined in on . Humphreys is the first person to publicly attest to hearing such comments from Hancock . Hancock said Thursday that he had met with Humpheys at the businessman 's Joplin office to discuss Republican Party fundraising efforts , but he denied saying anything about Schweich 's religion . 'It did n't happen , ' Hancock said . Paul Mouton , a Republican Party insider who is acquainted with both Hancock and Humphreys , said he also was at the Nov. 24 meeting . His recollection backs up Hancock 's account . ' I did not hear him say anything about Tom Schweich being Jewish , ' Mouton told the AP . Schweich fatally shot himself February 26 at his home in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton , just a month after declaring his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor . The shooting occurred minutes after Schweich told an Associated Press reporter that he was ready to go public with allegations that Hancock had made anti-Semitic remarks about him . Schweich had Jewish ancestry but attended an Episcopal church . Affirmed : David Humphreys , CEO of building products company Tamko , says he heard Hancock make a remark about Schweich 's background that implied a negative view of his Jewish roots . Former US Senator John Danforth , an Episcopal minister who was Schweich 's friend and political mentor , delivered the eulogy at Schweich 's funeral . He suggested his friend had been driven to suicide by political bullying and an anti-Semitic whispering campaign . Danforth said Thursday that he asked Humphreys to come forward with his account , because Hancock has denied making such remarks . He said the Republican State Committee should oust Hancock from the chairmanship . 'The brand of the Republican Party in Missouri has been badly damaged , and it 's very important to set the record clear , ' Danforth said . ' I think it 's important for Republicans to dissociate themselves from what has happened in the campaign against Tom Schweich . ' Hancock has said previously that he had mistakenly believed Schweich was Jewish and , although he had no specific recollection of doing so , has said it 's possible he might have mentioned that in an off-handed way while talking to prospective donors . Hancock said he learned the truth about Schweich 's religion during a pair of conversations November 14 with Danforth and Schweich , and he said he certainly never mentioned Schweich was Jewish after that . ' I did meet with David Humphreys on November 24 , ' as Hancock was running for GOP chairman , he said . But ' I would not have said Tom Schweich was Jewish at that meeting , because I knew that he was n't at that point . ' Hancock said he also met with Humphreys on September 12 , as he was raising money for a Catholic voter registration effort . He said it 's possible he may have mentioned Schweich was Jewish during that meeting but he has no recollection of doing so . Hancock said he has no plans to step down as party chairman , a post to which he was elected on Feb. 21 while pledging to improve the party 's fundraising . Humphreys , who had given generously to Schweich and various Republican causes , said he has no intention of giving money to Hancock for any reason . At the time of his death , Schweich was campaigning for governor against Republican Catherine Hanaway , a former Missouri House Speaker and US attorney . Hancock had done political research for Hanaway 's campaign , but Hancock said his efforts were focused on the likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate , Attorney General Chris Koster , not on Schweich .
Tom Schweich fatally shot himself in February a month after announcing his candidacy for governor . John Danforth released an affidavit claiming GOP chairman John Hancock made negative mention of Schweich 's Jewish background . Former US Senator David Humphreys said Schweich believed himself to be the victim of an anti-Semitic whisper campaign .