"We've crossed the rubicon": Jewish lawmakers face an explosion of antisemitism

Antisemitism is so resurgent in U.S. politics that some of the worst hate speech you've ever heard has become a part of day-to-day life for Jewish politicians.

The big picture: Gone are the days of veiled insinuations and dog whistles. The hate is direct, explicit and shockingly casual, two dozen members of Congress and candidates told Axios.

Editor's note: This story includes graphic and hateful language that was directed at lawmakers and their staff. Readers should be advised.

• The antisemitism is inescapable, they say: It's in calls and emails to their offices, comments on social media and is even infiltrating campaign ads.
• "Hitler was spot-on, 100% right," one constituent wrote to Jewish Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) in a profane letter shared with Axios.
• Ranted one caller in a voicemail to Rep. Greg Landsman's (D-Ohio) office: "I don't like Jewish people, and the congressman should just go die."

Axios reviewed dozens of voicemails, letters and emails sent to the offices of Jewish House members — Democrats and Republicans.

• Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) received a voicemail saying "antisemitism is on the rise because you guys think you own the f*cking world," and "you guys are going to be shot dead every f*cking day."
• In interviews, lawmakers described the problem as worse than they've ever seen. "We've crossed the Rubicon," said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.).
• "If I were to sit with you and, together, scroll through my social media mentions, comments, direct messages, your jaw would drop," said California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who is running for Congress.

Driving the news: Several antisemitic incidents have rocked the American political world over the last two weeks.

1. A hard-right PAC supporting Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) ran an ad portraying Jewish donor Paul Singer alongside a rainbow Star of David, which was first reported by Axios.

• Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) called it "the most brazen example of an antisemitic political ad that I have seen in years."
• The ad set off frenzied private discussion among Congressional Jewish Caucus members this week, according to multiple sources, with lawmakers rattled about the current state of American political discourse.
• "We're at a moment where the people who ... made the ad think it's not only not disqualifying, but it's something to celebrate and embrace, and that is disgusting," said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.).

2. Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) son William Paul went on an antisemitic tirade directed at Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) — who is not Jewish — at a Capitol Hill bar on Tuesday evening, according to NOTUS.

• The younger Paul told Lawler that if Massie loses reelection it's because of "you Jews," calling Jews "anti-American."
• Paul later apologized and said he will seek "help for my drinking problem."

3. A left-wing sex therapist running for Congress in Texas, Maureen Galindo, was revealed to have posted antisemitic rants complaining about what she described as the "Jews who own Hollywood" and "the synagogue of Satan."

• Galindo finished first in a Democratic House primary in March and is now in a runoff with DCCC-backed Johnny Garcia.
• She said in a statement to Axios that, if elected, she plans to write legislation to "declare Zionism as anti-semitic" and "start the process of having all American candidates and elected officials who have ever taken Israeli money tried for treason."

4. California gubernatorial candidate Don Grundmann, an independent, got a statement published in the state's official voter guide reading in part, "We are 'goyim' (less than human animals/cattle) that they will enslave."

The intrigue: The ad attacking Paul Singer is stirring infighting among Republicans, with one Jewish lawmaker going after Massie for not denouncing it.

• The ad "reflects the fact that Thomas Massie is an antisemite" and a "piece of garbage," said Jewish Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.), who himself has been the subject of accusations of Islamophobia.
• Asked about Fine's remarks, Massie said, "I don't have a response to that." He said of the ad, "I don't get to express a preference on super PAC ads."
• Massie said his race will be "kind of a referendum, though, on whether the Israeli lobby can buy a seat in Kentucky. Paul Singer is among that."

What we're hearing: "It's no longer a Republican and a Democrat [issue]," said Miller. "Both ends of our parties are wackadoos who hate Jews."

• Said Wiener, a progressive running to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): "Unfortunately, we're now ... seeing rhetoric on some corners of the left that is very extreme."

Miller's office received voicemails calling him a "Jewish sack of sh*t" and a "Jew boy," warning that "a real holocaust will take effect" and telling him, "You guys aren't human."

• Other callers told Miller to "go back to Israel" and "you and your family 'ought to be stripped of citizenship and deported to Israel, because that's where you belong."
• Another letter to Nadler shared with Axios included a drawing of him being shot in the head with a profane caption referencing his Judaism.

The bottom line: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) said he is seeing "a level of naked antisemitism, naked Jew hatred ... that isn't thinly veiled anymore, it's just direct."

• "The DMs are the worst," said Wiener. "Just horrific antisemitism, very violent. ... We're in an anything-goes situation."
• "It's now in the mainstream," said Moskowitz.