(10-20) 08:00 PDT Columbia, S.C. (AP) -- Two Republican county officials in South Carolina are apologizing after they disparaged Jews in a newspaper op-ed in support of a fiscally conservative U.S. senator.
The county chairmen were supporting Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina. Chairmen Edwin Merwin and Jim Ulmer wrote in their op-ed: "There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves."
DeMint called the comment thoughtless and hurtful. One of South Carolina's two Jewish legislators, Democratic Sen. Joel Lourie, said he was outraged by the remark. He called on the chairmen to be removed.
State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd also called the statement absolutely unacceptable.