Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff, Convicted of Hate Speech Against Muslims, Meets with Trump Advisor Kris Kobach
Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff — an Austrian anti-Muslim activist convicted of hate speech in her native country in 2011 — was invited to meet with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, in Topeka on March 7.
Sabaditsch-Wolff works closely with ACT for America, the largest anti-Muslim group in the country, and spoke with Kobach about the refugee crisis in Europe. Sabaditsch-Wolff’s talking points were published in full by the vehemently anti-Muslim blog Gates of Vienna, and gave insight into what ludicrous conspiracy theories Kobach — an advisor to President Donald Trump — was entertaining during his hour-long meeting.
The Austrian’s first point referred to a conspiracy theory about the refugee crisis popular among American Islamophobes .“The most important thing to remember is that it is PLANNED,” she said, telling Kobach that NGOs are colluding with human traffickers to “rescue” Libyan refugees shortly after they flee the country by boat. From there, the discussion went to who is funding this “planned” operation. Her answer? George Soros.
“George Soros was definitely involved, and there are strong indications that governments in the Persian Gulf gave financial assistance … they arrived in Slovenia and Austria, refugees bought goods and hired taxis using brand new €500 notes. Those notes are very unusual, and the refugees did not find them on the ground along the way. Someone gave the notes to them — WHO?”
Sabaditsch-Wolff sang the praises of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, calling him the only political leader “resisting the onslaught of migrants.” Orbán recently called for “ethic homogeneity,” approved measures to begin housing asylum speakers in guarded camps, and is considered responsible in part for the undeniable rise in anti-Semitism in his country.
Moving on to what she believes are the consequences of an influx of refugees entering Europe, Sabaditsch-Wolff focused on the racist tropes branding non-white immigrants as criminals and sex-offenders.
“The European people pay the price for the migration through vastly increased rates of theft and property crimes, violent rapes and assaults, and nightly public disorder. There are numerous no-go zones in cities all across Western Europe. Women do not feel safe in public, especially at night.”
She ended by claiming free speech is under attack in Europe, something she likes to point out when discussing her conviction for hate speech. In 2009, Sabaditsch-Wolff spoke at an event organized by the academy of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party where she accused the prophet Mohammad of being a pedophile, claiming he "enjoyed having something going on with kids,” according to the Austrian Independent. She was convicted two years later of hate speech and ordered to pay a fine.
Kobach himself is no stranger to nativism and xenophobia. He is employed by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) the legal arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) an anti-immigrant group founded by white nationalist John Tanton. In 2015, Kobach spoke at Tanton’s Social Contract Press Writers Workshop. He has also been responsible for drafting anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim legislation and government programs.
Kobach was behind the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program in the early 2000s which required tens of thousands of Muslim and Middle Eastern visa holders to register with the government and be fingerprinted. He also drafted SB1070, the extreme “papers please” law passed in Arizona and is currently helping shape Donald Trump’s most recent nativist executive orders.
And through Kobach, it appears Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff has a direct line to Trump.
In her recap of the Kobach meeting published on the Gates of Vienna blog she wrote:
“The meeting concluded with my promise keep in touch and the secretary’s promise to relay the contents of my brief to the White House. Another fine example of transatlantic partnership in action!”
