Boteach renews call to tax his Libyan neighbors

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Republican candidate for Congress, used the murder of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens this week as an opportunity to remind voters of his long-standing opposition to his next door neighbor in Englewood: the Libyan mission to the United Nation.

He held a press conference Thursday to denounce the mission.

Boteach declared, “It is completely outrageous that a nation that murders American envoys is still allowed to exist in our community tax free, with all of its services being paid for by Englewood residents, forcing us to be complicit.”

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He offered a suggestion of how the Libyan government could atone for the first killing of an American ambassador in 30 years.

“If they want to demonstrate they regret the attack, that they’re heartbroken that an American ambassador was brutally murdered on their soul, they should sell the embassy. They could probably net ten to twelve million dollars. The first thing they should do is rebuild the consulate in Benghazi with the proceeds and then divide the rest to the victims of the slaughter,” he said.

Earlier, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., who Boteach is challenging in November’s Congressional election, released a statement condemning the murders.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, who were killed in a heinous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi. I strongly condemn and deplore this senseless act of violence that took the lives of four brave Americans who were committed to creating a better future for the Libyan people. The United States must work with the Libyan authorities to bring justice to these victims and hold whoever is responsible to account. And the Libyan people must understand that in a democracy, violence is never acceptable, no matter how offensive the speech of others,” said the statement.