A congressional hearing aimed at addressing hate crimes has been marred by allegations of bigotry following an inappropriate comment made by Republican Senator John Kennedy. During the Senate judiciary committee meeting, Kennedy directed his remark at Maya Berry, the executive director of the Arab American Institute, stating that she should “hide your head in a bag” and accused her of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah.
The comments have sparked widespread backlash from Democrats and various civil rights groups, including Muslim and Jewish organizations. The hearing itself experienced additional tension when Texas Senator Ted Cruz was interrupted by a protester expressing outrage over the number of Palestinian casualties in Gaza. The protester shouted about the death toll, urging Cruz to address the significant loss of life instead of focusing solely on antisemitism, before being removed from the chamber.
Cruz characterized the interruption as a demonstration of antisemitism and hate. Republicans criticized the focus of the hearing, which was set by Democratic chair Dick Durbin, for merging discussions of antisemitism with bigotry faced by Muslims and Arabs.
Senator Lindsey Graham remarked that the hearing’s intent was to address the challenges Jewish students face, citing a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents. He expressed disappointment over the direction of the discussions.
The House of Representatives has already conducted similar hearings, driven by concerns over the increase of antisemitism on university campuses following Hamas’s attacks on Israel, which resulted in significant casualties and hostages. These hearings led to the resignations of two university leaders after they were criticized for their responses to questions regarding institutional policies on antisemitism.
During the hearing, Graham attempted to frame a question to Berry regarding the intentions of Hamas and Hezbollah, but Berry responded that such questions were complex. This led to a tense exchange with Kennedy, who pressed Berry on her stance regarding Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Berry asserted that Hamas is a foreign terrorist organization, emphasizing the focus should be on combating hate rather than making baseless accusations.
In reaction to Kennedy’s comments, Berry expressed regret that her experience exemplified the very issues the hearing sought to address, pointing out the dangers facing democratic institutions. The judiciary committee later endorsed Berry’s response through a social media post, reiterating support for her.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations criticized Kennedy and others for their treatment of Berry. They argued that both Berry and the topic of hate crimes deserved respectful treatment. Similarly, the American Civil Liberties Union condemned the “vitriolic attack” on Berry, calling the behavior of the committee members inappropriate.
Sheila Katz, the CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, expressed sorrow over Berry’s treatment during the hearing, emphasizing that the purpose was to combat hate rather than perpetuate it.