NO HATE DEBATE

United States Senate candidate Lena Epstein of Bloomfield Hills has condemned the Michigan Democratic Party and its chairman, Brandon Dillon, for promoting screenshots of her Twitter account on Thursday, August 17, that appeared to show the GOP hopeful had "liked" former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and other white supremacist-related tweets. "Republican Senate candidate @LenaEpstein seems to have a fondness for @DrDavidDuke and neo-Nazi @bakedalaska #shame," Dillon tweeted. Epstein said on August 17 that her campaign became aware that morning that someone had illegally hacked the Twitter account. On Monday, August 21, Epstein said she was working with a Royal Oak-based professional investigations firm, which confirmed the hack. "A forensic examination of data related to Ms. Epstein's Twitter account and the related internet traffic confirmed that an illegal intrusion had in fact occurred to Ms. Epstein's account by way of nefarious means," investigator Marty Bugbee, of Investigative Intelligence Group, said in a statement released by Epstein. "The identity of the intruder is currently being determined and Michigan State Police Michigan Cyber Command Center has been engaged to pursue a criminal investigation and prosecution. It was also determined that the intruder was in no way associated with Ms. Epstein's campaign or staff." Epstein, who called on Dillon for a public apology, said she hasn't heard from him or the Democratic Party since last week. Dillon on Friday, August 18, flatly refused to apologize for posting the screen shots or comments, instead doubling down on the claims. "As an American, I call on you to apologize for liking David Duke. I also call on the @migop to apologize for your candidacy," Dillon tweeted in response, questioning the timing of the "likes" and the length of time it took to remove them. Meanwhile Epstein said she has received support and encouragement from fellow Republicans, including Michigan GOP Chair Ron Weiser. Epstein on August 21 continued to deny ever "liking"or "following" any of the accounts mentioned. "As a Jewish woman with deep roots in the Jewish faith ... there is little that could be more offensive to me than the suggestion that I support, ‘like,’ or condone David Duke, neo-Nazis, or any group that promotes hatred or prejudice," she said.