Michigan’s Jewish Attorney General Blasts Democratic Party Over Antisemitism Response

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel launched a scathing critique of the Michigan Democratic Party on Monday, asserting the organization has failed to adequately combat antisemitism within its ranks. Her complaint centered on the party’s decision to allow members facing antisemitic charges to participate in the convention scheduled for August 29.

Nessel, the state’s first Jewish attorney general, announced previously that she would skip the convention due to security concerns. During an appearance on MS NOW, she underscored her personal experience with antisemitic harassment since taking office in 2019, emphasizing that such incidents predate recent Middle East tensions from October 7.

When directly asked whether the Democratic Party had taken sufficient action against antisemitism, Nessel responded with an emphatic “absolutely not.” She pointed to five party members charged with antisemitic vandalism, harassment, and threats against other Democrats—some of whom are Jewish—and noted that an incident targeting the Jewish Federation of Detroit occurred among these cases.

Nessel called for implementation of a convention code of conduct to prevent disruptions and disrespectful behavior toward speakers and candidates, regardless of ideological disagreements. She characterized the party’s current approach as inadequate given the pending criminal charges against its members.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel responded in a statement condemning the alleged antisemitic conduct and reaffirming the party’s commitment to safe, inclusive events. A party spokesperson indicated that a code of conduct complaint had been received but declined to comment on ongoing investigations.

Nessel also discussed Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, whose campaign has drawn scrutiny over past remarks with antisemitic implications. While declining explicit endorsement, she indicated disapproval of Republican opponent Mike Rogers and signaled plans to address her concerns directly with El-Sayed.

The attorney general urged El-Sayed to moderate his rhetoric, noting that criticism of AIPAC and Israeli government policy should not become the focal point of every policy discussion. She argued that attributing healthcare reform challenges or other policy failures to AIPAC misrepresents the actual sources of those problems.