Zeldin Calls on Democrats to Do More to Stop Anti-Semitism — ‘It Is Being Empowered, Elevated and Embraced’

During this week’s “Fox & Friends Sunday,” New York gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) addressed the massive increase in anti-Semitic violence in New York City.

Zeldin called on leaders, particularly the Democrats in Congress, to “do more to speak out against” anti-Semitism because it is being “empowered, elevated and embraced.”

“This has been going on for a few years,” Zeldin emphasized. “I remember Hanukkah of 2019, all of a sudden there was this massive surge of violent anti-Semitic attacks all across New York City. And now it is only continuing to increase. Now, there are many reasons why this is happening, and what we’re finding is that the states’ cashless bail law, for example, where recently somebody was charged with over 40 offenses of vandalizing synagogues ends up getting arrested and then immediately released because of the state’s bail law. The defund the police movement in New York City last year — over a billion dollars cut from the NYPD — that has an impact. They’re getting rid of qualified immunity. So, from the public safety and crime standpoint, and that list goes on, with local prosecutors not charging certain quality of life offenses. Now, you have criminals are emboldened where the handcuffs are on law enforcement, instead of being on the criminals.”

“[T]he other reality here is people are just expressing … what is raw anti-Semitism. It is hate for Jews. And you need leaders resoundingly, whether it is locally in the city or at the state or it’s in Congress. Within the Democratic Party especially right now, they need to do more to speak out against this because it is being empowered, elevated and embraced.”

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