A prominent Brazilian Jewish group said on Tuesday that it is suing a recently elected congressman for allegedly saying in a radio interview that Jews invented the Holocaust.
 
The legal action stems from a radio interview in which Congressman-elect Clodovil Hernandez, a former stylist known for his outrageous clothes and mannerisms, reportedly compared the Holocaust to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York, which he claimed were plotted by Americans.
 
“It’s evident that (the bombing) was set up by the Americans themselves, don’t be fooled,” he allegedly said. “It’s like the Holocaust. You think there wasn’t any Jew there manipulating things under the table?”
 
Rio de Janeiro Israeli Federation spokesman Jose Roitberg said the organization filed legal papers on Tuesday to open an official investigation of Hernandez, who has declined to speak to the media about the alleged comments. Roitberg said he could face a charge of racism, which carries a minimum prison sentence of one year.
 
“This is a complete indignation,” Roitberg said. “It is really unbelievable that a politician who received so many votes could be so racist.”
 
With no prior political experience, Hernandez was elected on Oct. 1 with some 490,000 votes — the fourth-highest total for any congressional candidate in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous.
 
Roitberg said the federation has recorded evidence that Hernandez made the comments and has posted a link to the interview on its Web site.
 
If the group sues Hernandez before he takes office in January, than he can lose his elected post, Roitberg said. But if he takes office first, he would receive immunity under Brazilian law.

IHT