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Confronting the Rise in Anti-Semitic Domestic Terrorism

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Confronting the Rise in Anti-Semitic Domestic Terrorism CONFRONTING THE RISE IN ANTI-SEMITIC DOMESTIC TERRORISM HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERTERRORISM OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JANUARY 15, 2020 Serial No. 116–58 Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 41–310 PDF WASHINGTON : 2020 VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:11 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 H:\116TH\20IC0115\41310.TXT HEATH Congress.#13 COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY BENNIE G. THOMPSON, Mississippi, Chairman SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Texas MIKE ROGERS, Alabama JAMES R. LANGEVIN, Rhode Island PETER T. KING, New York CEDRIC L. RICHMOND, Louisiana MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas DONALD M. PAYNE, JR., New Jersey JOHN KATKO, New York KATHLEEN M. RICE, New York MARK WALKER, North Carolina J. LUIS CORREA, California CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana XOCHITL TORRES SMALL, New Mexico DEBBIE LESKO, Arizona MAX ROSE, New York MARK GREEN, Tennessee LAUREN UNDERWOOD, Illinois VAN TAYLOR, Texas ELISSA SLOTKIN, Michigan JOHN JOYCE, Pennsylvania EMANUEL CLEAVER, Missouri DAN CRENSHAW, Texas AL GREEN, Texas MICHAEL GUEST, Mississippi YVETTE D. CLARKE, New York DAN BISHOP, North Carolina DINA TITUS, Nevada BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN, New Jersey NANETTE DIAZ BARRAGA´ N, California VAL BUTLER DEMINGS, Florida HOPE GOINS, Staff Director CHRIS VIESON, Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERTERRORISM MAX ROSE, New York, Chairman SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Texas MARK WALKER, North Carolina, Ranking JAMES R. LANGEVIN, Rhode Island Member ELISSA SLOTKIN, Michigan PETER T. KING, New York BENNIE G. THOMPSON, Mississippi (ex officio) MARK GREEN, Tennessee MIKE ROGERS, Alabama (ex officio) SANDEEP PRASANNA, Subcommittee Staff Director MANDY BOWERS, Minority Subcommittee Staff Director (II) VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:11 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 H:\116TH\20IC0115\41310.TXT HEATH C O N T E N T S Page STATEMENTS The Honorable Max Rose, a Representative in Congress From the State of New York, and Chairman, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterter- rorism: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 1 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 2 The Honorable Mark Walker, a Representative in Congress From the State of North Carolina, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 5 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 6 The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 3 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 4 WITNESSES PANEL I Mr. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO, Anti-Defamation League (ADL): Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 7 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 9 Mr. Nathan Diament, Executive Director, Union of Orthodox Jewish Con- gregations of America: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 20 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 22 Mr. Clifford D. May, Founder and President, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 25 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 27 Mr. Eugene Kontorovich, Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 38 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 40 PANEL II Mr. John J. Miller, Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterter- rorism, New York City Police Department: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 63 Prepared Statement ............................................................................................. 66 General John R. Allen, USMC, Retired, Co-Chair, Homeland Security Advi- sory Council Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Organizations, and President, Brookings Institute: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 70 Joint Prepared Statement ................................................................................... 74 Mr. Paul Goldenberg, Co-Chair, Homeland Security Advisory Council Sub- committee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Organizations, and Chairman and President, Cardinal Point Strategies: Oral Statement ..................................................................................................... 70 Joint Prepared Statement ................................................................................... 74 (III) VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:11 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 H:\116TH\20IC0115\41310.TXT HEATH VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:11 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 H:\116TH\20IC0115\41310.TXT HEATH CONFRONTING THE RISE IN ANTI-SEMITIC DOMESTIC TERRORISM Wednesday, January 15, 2020 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY, SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERTERRORISM, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2 p.m., in Room 310, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Max Rose [Chairman of the subcommittee] presiding. Present: Representatives Rose, Jackson Lee, Langevin, Slotkin, Clarke, Rice, Thompson (ex officio); Walker, King, Green, and Rog- ers. Also present: Representatives Deutch, Gottheimer, Raskin; and Zeldin. Mr. ROSE. The Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterter- rorism will come to order. Before I begin, I made the mistake of acknowledging my counterpart, Congressman Walker, during this hearing that I did not realize was actually on the record. So I am going to repeat what I said previously because our friend, who is injured because he tried to wrestle me, he has made the decision to briefly pause his career in public service. I do not believe it is the last chapter by any sense of the word, but to say so definitively on the record, it has been one of the greatest honors of my life serv- ing on this subcommittee with Mr. Walker, and I look forward to serving with you in many different capacities for many years to come, sir. So this subcommittee is meeting today to receive testimony on Confronting the Rise in Anti-Semitic Domestic Terrorism. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the sub- committee in recess at any point. Without objection, Members not on the committee shall be per- mitted to sit and question the witnesses. I now recognize myself for an opening statement, and I will make it quick because I am very eager to hear the testimony of the ex- perts before us. Poway, Pittsburgh, Monsey, 1,800 anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 throughout the United States; 2,049 of these incidents carried out by extremists. Since December 23 over a dozen attacks on Jews across New York City, and after each and every one of these at- tacks, there is some elected official in America that says, ‘‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and their families.’’ (1) VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:11 Sep 22, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 H:\116TH\20IC0115\41310.TXT HEATH 2 After each and every one of these attacks there is some elected official in America who says we must take action. Well, today that is exactly what we have got to focus on, the why. Why is this happening? How is this happening? But most im- portantly, what do we do tomorrow and the next week and the next month? Today in my community and communities across America, Jews are afraid to go outside with their kippah on, afraid to speak He- brew in public, afraid to congregate amongst their friends and fam- ily, afraid to observe the High Holy Days. Over 100 years ago, my great grandfather came to New York City fleeing anti-Semitism, and he came to New York City and he came to America because this country is not just a country. It stands for something. It has been a beacon that if you are fleeing hate, it has been a beacon for freedom. Today we consider how can we ensure that our best days are not in our rearview mirror. We look forward to considering everything from appointing Federal officials, FBI, DHS Task Force. How do we regulate social media? How do we increase funding to make sure that no person is afraid to pray, whether at a church, a synagogue, a mosque? Today we consider the rise of anti-Semitism across the political spectrum because we realize this is not a problem for any
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