Ron Paul supporters, hang on to your hates – I mean, your hats. We’ve already reported on how the Ron Paul newsletter has contained racist slurs, how white supremacists are campaigning for Ron Paul, and how Ron Paul refuses to turn down campaign donations that he knows is coming from white supremacist leaders.

What none of us knew is that there is good reason to believe that Ron Paul regularly meets with leaders of white supremacist and neo-Nazi organizations. Says who? So says Bill White, leader of the American National Socialist Workers Party. Hint to those not familiar with the organizations of America’s extreme right wing: “National Socialist” is shortened to Nazi. Bill White is a self-avowed, proud Nazi.

Here’s what he wrote about the denials from the Ron Paul campaign that Ron Paul is affiliated with white supremacist groups:

“Ron Paul Lies About Lack Of Involvement With White Nationalists

Comrades:

I have kept quiet about the Ron Paul campaign for a while, because I didn’t see any need to say anything that would cause any trouble. However, reading the latest release from his campaign spokesman, I am compelled to tell the truth about Ron Paul’s extensive involvement in white nationalism.

Both Congressman Paul and his aides regularly meet with members of the Stormfront set, American Renaissance, the Institute for Historic Review, and others at the Tara Thai restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, usually on Wednesdays. This is part of a dinner that was originally organized by Pat Buchanan, Sam Francis and Joe Sobran, and has since been mostly taken over by the Council of Conservative Citizens.

I have attended these dinners, seen Paul and his aides there, and been invited to his offices in Washington to discuss policy.

For his spokesman to call white racialism a “small ideology” and claim white activists are “wasting their money” trying to influence Paul is ridiculous. Paul is a white nationalist of the Stormfront type who has always kept his racial views and his views about world Judaism quiet because of his political position.

I don’t know that it is necessarily good for Paul to “expose” this. However, he really is someone with extensive ties to white nationalism and for him to deny that in the belief he will be more respectable by denying it is outrageous — and I hate seeing people in the press who denounce racialism merely because they think it is not fashionable.

Bill White, Commander
American National Socialist Workers Party“

To sum up: Bill White says that he and other Neo-Nazi and white supremacist leaders have been meeting with Ron Paul on a regular basis, at public gatherings in restaurants and in private at Ron Paul’s own offices.

Bill White’s message was posted on the VNN (Vanguard News Network) forum, a place where white supremacists meet online. In response to White’s revelation, a user with the handle “RonPaulSupporter” writes, “I know alot of white supremacist involved in the Ron Paul campaign. I wish he would not shun away from his true supporters. I will stick with him till the ened but he shouldn’t act like a typical politiician.” Another white supremacist writes, “If this is all true, I’m happy to hear this about the guy. I’ll be voting for Ron Paul in January here in Florida in the primary.”

Others white supremacists on the VNN forum are more upset with Bill White for exposing Ron Paul’s connections. Another user, “McKinley”, who uses the tag phrase “nothing says lovin’ like a jew in the oven” for a signature, writes of Bill White, “Some one ban this piece of shit for the no outing rule.” Note that “McKinley” doesn’t deny the connection, but merely is angry that someone has let it out in the open – “outing” Ron Paul.

Even those who are angry with Bill White for saying out in the open what so many white supremacists have been whispering about Ron Paul agree, even in their anger, that Ron Paul is presidential candidate who is doing the most for the American Neo-Nazi movement. VNN user “Darren” writes, for example,

“Ron Paul is the only candidate that comes close to matching our views in the mainstream political debate. I know you don’t like people who only go half-way in their political views, however, half-way is better than nothing at all.

Ron Paul may say things to please the media regarding racism, but he is hardly a hardcore left-wing commie who wants to merge the races into a gray goo. Please get a sense of proportion here.

If Ron Paul is hurt by this information, you have done those of us trying to effect meaningful political change a big disservice.

I like the ANSWP [American National Socialist Workers Party] and the leadership you have given it, but we have to be realistic when it comes to making big political changes. Ron Paul is our first step. Please don’t ruin it!”

There is no denial of the allegations on the Ron Paul campaign web site.

It is possible, of course, that Bill White is lying. I can’t say that I know for sure. I don’t live in Washington D.C., and I’ve never been to the Tara Thai restaurant.

I haven’t been to the Tara Thai restaurant, but Ron Paul has, and not just as a private citizen. Campaign finance records filed with the FEC show that the Ron Paul for President campaign spent $314.59 at the Tara Thai restaurant in the third quarter of 2007 alone. That’s the restaurant where Bill White claims to have met with Ron Paul and Ron Paul’s aides.

A consistent pattern of contact between Ron Paul and white supremacists has come to light in a way that has not occurred for any other presidential candidates. Bill White claims that the contact is purposeful, though secretive, with the intention of deceiving the American people. Maybe he’s telling the truth. Maybe he isn’t. Maybe the contact has been accidental on Ron Paul’s part.

If that’s the case, then Ron Paul needs to do more than just say so. He needs to prove it. He needs to provide evidence, including witnesses from outside his campaign, that can refute the specifics of Bill White’s allegations, as well as the general accusation that Ron Paul is coordinating with white supremacists. Ron Paul needs to cut all ties with white supremacists, blocking their fundraising efforts on his behalf. He needs to return their money. Furthermore, Ron Paul needs to come out with an agenda that counters the neo-Nazi movement, proving that he is not their friend. Ron Paul needs to show that the many white supremacists who believe that Ron Paul is working on their behalf in Washington D.C. are wrong.

If this were a simple matter of a criminal trial, Ron Paul would need to do none of these things to establish his innocence. After all, in a court of law, a person is innocent until proven guilty. However, the Ron Paul for President campaign is not in a court of law, but rather, in a court of public trust. Ron Paul is asking the American people to trust him with the most powerful political position in the most powerful nation on Earth. It is his responsibility to prove that he can be trusted, and to defend himself from allegations such as those made about his connection to racist organizations. It is not the responsibility of us voters to trust him.

(Sources: VNN Forum; Federal Election Commission, third quarterly disbursement statement, Ron Paul for President Campaign; LittleGreenFootballs, December 19, 2007)