W. Deptford Candidate Accused Of Attacking Journalist On Social Media Withdraws From Race

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A candidate for a West Deptford Township committee seat has pulled out of the race after alleged attacks against a reporter on social media.

Olivia Nuzzi, a journalist for The Daily Beast, says that she received messages from Republican Candidate Mike Krawitz stating  'F***. you. Olivia, I. Hope. Somebody. Rapes. You Today. :)'

Another message said: 'Hope. You. Get. Raped. By. A. Syrian. Refugee. :)'

Originally, Krawitz and the West Deptford GOP claimed his account was hacked.

However, the West Deptford GOP released the following statement in part saying in part:

'Through the day our leadership reviewed all the facts surrounding this matter and we cannot find any reasonable reason to believe Mr. Krawitz's account was hacked in anyway.'

'Through our investigation we have learned, that this is not the first time Mr. Krawitz has had an inappropriate confrontation via Facebook with this reporter and that he has a history going back to December of 2015 of making comments to posts made by her. For a candidate to use such despicable language toward an individual, let alone a female, is completely unacceptable of anyone representing our Party. But what is worse, is to call for violence against a female, as Mr. Krawitz did in a post yesterday and we as a party cannot condone such repulsive, threatening or demeaning rhetoric of this kind being made by any person regardless of party. It is because of this behavior that the West Deptford Republican Party is calling on Mike Krawitz to resign as our party's candidate for Township Committee and if he does not resign we will do whatever it takes to have him removed from the ballot.'

Tuesday afternoon, the South Jersey candidate withdrew from the race via a handwritten note.

BREAKING: So. Jersey candidate who said he hoped reporter would be raped withdraws from race via handwritten note pic.twitter.com/Jyj5ZIWzRS

— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) September 6, 2016