Longview Man Remains in Racist Spotlight

LONGVIEW — More exposure for a Longview man accused of being a white supremacist, as questions arise about ownership of his home. According to the Longview News-Journal, as president of the nonprofit Council of Conservative Citizens, Earl P. Holt III has been connected with Dylann Roof, whom authorities say opened fire June 17 in a South Carolina church, killing nine people. Before the massacre, Roof wrote he was motivated in part by information on the council’s website, which shocked him with stories of black on white crime. Holt has written more than 4,300 internet posts this year alone commenting on topics mostly involving race and politics.

In Longview, he’s kept a low profile, with seemingly few people knowing a white supremacist who expresses deep distrust of Jews and virulent racism against blacks is living in the comfort made possible by a charter member of this city’s Temple Emanu-El. The home, which is 4,600 square feet and has a swimming pool, was neither built nor bought by Holt but originally purchased by Longview Jewish businessman Irving Falk and his wife, Katherine. Still in her name, it has an appraised value this year of $570,000. Irving Falk died in 2009, and Katherine met and married Holt one year later, bringing him to Longview.

Rusty Milstein, the rabbi at Temple Emanu-El, said he does not know Holt and has met him once at most. Katherine Holt, however, continues to have a connection with the temple. “About the only thing I can tell you is that Kathy Holt still supports the temple,” he said. “I don’t know a thing about Earl Holt, and I was very surprised to learn what I learned.” Others closely connected with the Jewish community here would only say Katherine Holt remains friendly and has not changed over the past six years. The News-Journal attempted to reach Holt through his email address but did not receive a response. He has declined to be interviewed by the newspaper on previous occasions, including at the door of his home.

In St. Louis, Holt won election to the St. Louis city school board in 1989 as part of an anti-busing faction. On a right-wing radio show he co-hosted, he called himself the “Last Earl of Shaw,” saying he was the last white person to live in the 4000 block of that street. Holt’s main occupation was, as he described it, “slumlord.” He owned a building with 18 apartments.