Radical Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan called out Rep. Keith Ellison (D., Minn.) for his prior membership in the organization and compared him to the Apostles who betrayed Jesus in an anti-Semitic speech on Sunday.
Farrakhan is known for making outlandish, anti-Semitic and racist comments, as well as promoting conspiracy theories. Ellison, a Muslim and the deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, previously defended Farrakhan in the 1980s and 1990s before distancing himself when he first ran for Congress in 2006.
In recent weeks, he's dealt with reports he attended a private dinner in 2013 that also featured Farrakhan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Farrakhan claimed in 2016 he had recently met with Ellison in his hotel suite. Ellison has responded they have "no relationship" and the stories about the two are part of a smear campaign by his political opponents.
"Keith was in the Nation in 1995," Farrakhan said, calling him a "beautiful brother" who sold the Nation of Islam's The Final Call newspaper. "And, being in Minnesota ... he wants to help his community. He's a lawyer so he wants to help his community, so he wants to become a congressman. "
Some in the crowd catcalled when Ellison's picture was shown, but Farrkhan said he wasn't there to "bash my brother."
"Let me tell you something. When you want something in this world, the Jew holds the door," Farrakhan said.
"You will turn on your brother for some advantage in their world," Farrakhan went on. "He wanted to help his community. He wanted to be a congressman. So when the Jews found out that he was in the Nation ... 'You've got to denounce Farrakhan as an anti-Semite, and maybe we'll let you run.'"
Farrakhan then had a photo displayed of Ellison selling the The Final Call.
"I don't want you attacking [Ellison], because you ain't so strong yourself. If you want something from the white man, and you have to denounce me, how will you act when your trial comes?" Farrakhan asked.
He compared Ellison to the Apostles of Jesus Christ who denied knowing him before he was arrested and later crucified.
"Like them Apostles of Jesus ... 'I never seen him before,'" Farrakhan said. "And they run away from me like I've got a plague."