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.
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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.”