Jewish lawmakers fear they're next after antisemitic attacks
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Rep. Greg Landsman in Copenhagen, Denmark on April 25. Photo: Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
Jewish members of Congress are worried by a spate of attacks aimed at Jews — and are openly saying they may be next on the target list.
Why it matters: There has been a sharp rise in antisemitism and threats against lawmakers in recent years. For some Jewish representatives, the two trends are eerily correlated.
- "The number of times in the course of a week I'm called a 'Jewish demon' is pretty unsettling," Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) told Axios.
- Landsman said "most" Jewish members are "facing these very unsettling and potentially dangerous situations," pointing to the pro-Palestinian encampment that was erected outside his house in Cincinnati.
Driving the news: Capitol Hill was rocked last month when two Israeli embassy staffers were fatally shot outside an American Jewish Committee meeting at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
- The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, shouted "free, free Palestine" as he was arrested by police.
- "I have had a hard time getting the image of being shot and killed out of my head. It happens almost every time I'm in a big crowd now," Landsman said in a statement after the shooting.
- The incident came after a man who set fire to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's official residence cited the Jewish governor's stance on the war in Gaza as a factor.
State of play: Concerns about Jewish safety spiked again this week after a man yelling "free Palestine" threw Molotov cocktails at attendees of a Boulder, Colorado, rally advocating for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
- The attack left at least eight people — four women and four men, aged 52 to 88 — hospitalized.
What they're saying: Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) said in a phone interview that he "increased our investment in security" after the D.C. attack.
- "It's a dangerous world," he told Axios. "I will not let this become normal ... and I will not let this force me to back away or fail to do what I need to do representing all my constituents in the 10th district."
- Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said: "I've always thought we were in jeopardy and jeopardized when we were on the Capitol campus."
- And Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Calif.) added: "The Jewish community is very much on edge ... and elected officials in general, I think, are feeling less safe."
Zoom out: Beyond their personal safety, several lawmakers previewed a renewed push to fund the Nonprofit Safety Grant Program, particularly to provide security for houses of worship and faith-based organizations.
- "We certainly need more funding there given the number of ... threats [religious institutions] are facing," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.).
- The NSGP has been underfunded for years and has recently been caught up in the Trump administration's efforts to cut federal expenditures.
- Landsman said the Trump administration "has to get these grant dollars out quicker" and that Congress "has to seriously consider taking up something around investing in law enforcement."
