CANTON, S.D. – At the same time as South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden was completing a state visit to Israel where officials thanked the Governor and the state for its vocal support of the Jewish community, a public official in South Dakota was defending his use of the word “Jew” as a verb during official government proceedings.
Lincoln County Commissioner Doug Putnam refused to apologize after being publicly confronted for making a remark widely considered antisemitic during a recent commission meeting.
“Evidently, I said something wrong, and I’m supposed to apologize, which I won’t,” said the first-term GOP commissioner, addressing blowback he’s received for saying “I thought you’d Jew them down” two weeks ago during a discussion on a lease contract. “I don’t apologize for anything I say. I say what I say, I mean what I mean, and if somebody takes offense to that, they could actually give it in writing.”
Putnam’s refusal followed a rebuke by a Canton resident and a former Democratic legislative candidate, Chad J. Skiles, who called out Putnam while speaking during the public input portion of Tuesday’s meeting.
“With all that is going on in this country and this world regarding antisemitism, to hear it spoken by a local elected county commissioner was uncalled for, unprofessional, and appalling,” Skiles said. “Commissioner, you owe an apology for that horrible comment.”
While no other commissioner publicly addressed Putnam’s remarks during commission proceedings, Commission Chairwoman Tiffani Landeen said commission leadership has addressed it internally. She doesn’t anticipate any further reprimands.
“I don’t know what to do about it. I addressed it individually. He’s aware of what was said. I can’t change what he believes. Elected officials do things that make me shake my head,” she said, asserting that Putnam’s comments are not reflective of the county. “They aren’t the comments of the board and (do not) represent the board. … He’s his own man.”
After the meeting, Putnam suggested that those offended by his remarks are aligned with the LGBTQ movement and that most don’t take offense.
“I’ve said it (Jew them down) all my life. I’ve never had a Jew tell me not to say it,” he told The Dakota Scout, insisting that he does not harbor dislike for any group of people. “I like everybody who is a human being.”
