Peretz: Capitalists used media to sully Labor voters

Labor leadership candidate claims investigative report used "half the truth," distorted facts irresponsibly.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Amir Peretz Labor campaign 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Amir Peretz Labor campaign 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Labor leadership candidate MK Amir Peretz slammed unnamed sources from within and outside the media, among them "capitalists," for exploiting news sources to discredit newly recruited constituencies and sully his reputation, Channel 10 reported Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference with Union of Local Authorities in Israel chief Shlomo Bohbut, who endorsed Peretz after dropping out of the leadership race last week, Peretz said investigative reports that claimed he had fraudulently mustered voters were irresponsibly done.
RELATED:Labor Party judge begins membership-drive probe Labor candidates slam Peretz after reports of fraud "Knowing that newspapers like to use the word 'research' I checked these investigative reports," Peretz said, adding "To me it's distortion and using only half the truth is worse than outright lying."
Last Friday, Peretz came under fire from fellow Labor MKs after Yediot Aharonot published a report claiming Peretz had fraudulently recruited party members.
Labor leadership candidate MK Isaac Herzog called the report "disturbing," demanding that retired judge Sarah Frisch, who is investigating the party’s methods in recruiting members, “receive the tools to thoroughly check each [membership] form.”
According to the Yediot report, 527 new Labor members were registered by Peretz aides Avi Deri and Moshe Peretz in the mostly haredi town of Netivot, where, in the last elections, only 197 residents voted Labor.
As of Monday, the Labor Party announced it would delay the publication of new party members until a thorough investigation into all groups of four or more people who were registered by the same person.
Gil Hoffman and Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.