‘Rot in hell Muslim scum’: New Jersey Republican under fire for hateful Chattanooga remarks

A Republican city councilman in New Jersey's Hamilton township is trying to walk back bigoted remarks he made in the wake of the attacks last week against military personnel in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In an interview with the Trentionian newspaper, Hamilton city councilman Ed Gore apologized for a series of angry Facebook posts he made about the gunman in the July 16 attack, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez.

“Murdering bastard. Rot in hell Muslim scum,” Gore wrote.

When a commenter told Gore not to hold back on his feelings, he said, "Oh I never hold back on domestic terrorists.”

On Wednesday, Gore told the Trentonian that in his opinion, not all Muslims are dangerous killers.

“Certainly I don’t mean all Muslims are scum,” Gore said Wednesday. “If I offended any Muslims, I am sorry. I would certainly hope all Muslims would join me in condemning the murder of innocent Americans anywhere in the world.”

“I am not some type of anti-Muslim kook,” continued Gore. “I wish I would have clarified it more and am sorry if I offended anybody. I want to let people know it was the emotion of the time. You think with your head and not with your heart.”

Imam Qareeb Bashir, president of the Islamic Council of Greater Trenton, said that he is "appalled and really disappointed in the comments made by someone who is an elected official, a representative of the people, that he would use such derogatory labels for groups of people.”

"We expect more from our elected officials," said Bashir.