Kol Ami News

(KUTV) — A Utah tech entrepreneur is facing sharp backlash for an anti-Semitic email he sent alleging Jews were behind the COVID-19 pandemic.

The email by Entrata founder and former CEO David Bateman was sent to state leaders, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

Cox condemned Bateman Tuesday night on Twitter.

“These irresponsible comments are hurtfully anti-Semitic, blatantly false, and we completely reject them,” Cox tweeted. “This stuff is *bat emoji* *poop emoji* crazy stuff. I get insane emails like this from people often and normally wouldn’t dignify it with a response, but I guess it’s getting lots of attention. I hope he gets help.”

Bateman was one of the founders of the Entrata in 2003. Entrata’s headquarters are in Lehi and the company currently employs 1,400 people, according to its website.

Entrata CEO Adam Edmunds announced on Twitter Tuesday afternoon that the company’s board of directors asked Bateman to resign from the board, which he agreed to do.

Bateman’s social media is filled with COVID-19 conspiracies and he is outspoken against vaccines.

The email he sent connected the pandemic to Jews and a conspiracy to infiltrate the Catholic Church and consolidate world power.

“Mr. Bateman proved himself to be an embarrassment to Utah,” said Rabbi Sam Spector of the Congregation Kol Ami. “What Mr. Bateman said is a repetition of hundreds of years of anti-Semitic vile. It’s very alarming, concerning, and makes you question how widespread views like this are.”

Spector said the Jewish people are used to hearing conspiracies.

“We have a sitting member of congress who suggested that wildfires in California were because of Jewish space lasers. I think that most leaders in Utah know that these claims are so asinine and that what he’s spewing is such garbage that most aren’t even dignifying it with a response,” Spector said.

Spector’s reference is to comments made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Georgia, about the Camp Fire in 2018.

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