Thread by @LaraFriedmanDC

Think it's an exaggeration to talk about "McCarthyism" with respect to efforts to shut down criticism of Israel? I give you: HR 6578, intro'd 12/5, a bipartisan bill to create equivalent of the House Un-American Activities Committee - but this time targeting critics of Israel.

see:
Bill text:
press release: congress.gov/bill/118th-con…
millermeeks.house.gov/sites/evo-subs…
millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-re…

This bill would create new Congressional body with broad subpoena authority to force Americans to testify & produce "evidence" related to the committee's mission to "investigate the facts and causes of antisemitism in the present day"

Under this bill, every member of the committee - who serve for the life of the committee - has the authority to do everything the committee is authorized to do.

And note that if called to testify or produce evidence, under this bill you can't plead the 5th. Under this bill you are legally required to self-incriminate.

And for folks who say, "ntisemitism is surging - this is necessary" - I'd note:

(1) the intent behind this bill is EXCLUSIVELY to target criticism of Israel & Zionism. This is clear from the whereas clauses (100% about Oct 7 & its aftermath) and from the press release.

(2) the agenda behind this bill is clear from the fact that nothing like this was introduced during the Trump era or since to deal with surging antisemitism in the form of open activities by white supremacists & literal NAZIS in the US

(3) The Biden Admin has produced a massive initiative to fight antisemitism. The Admin doesn't need advice from a Congressional commission designed to showcase (more) grandstanding, anti-Palestinian & anti-free speech campaigners & to subject US citizens to witch hunts.

This is just a breathtaking piece of legislation.

That the GOP wants to formally open an era of modern McCarthyism, w/ criticism of Israel/fake concern about antisemitism as hooks to target progressive Americans, is no surprise.

That 4 Democrats joined is just mind-boggling.

No surprise AIPAC is backing this bill. But, you guessed it, so is the ADL!

Yes, for the sake of suppressing criticism of Israel the ADL is backing a 2023 version of the McCarthyist witch hunt that destroyed the lives of countless Jewish Americans. Take that in.

Also worth noting: The bill doesn't explicitly mention the IHRA definition of antisemitism, but instead copies-and-pastes the IHRA definition of antisemitism, without listing its examples...

Given that many/most cosponsors are on the record backing the IHRA definition (incl its examples) & given that adoption/enforcement of IHRA (incl examples) is a core AIPAC & the ADL goal, it's fair to read the bill as embracing the IHRA definition, incl its examples.

ADL is all-in supporting/promoting the new witch hunt -- which would seek to destroy the lives of Americans who dare to criticize Israel, including Jewish Americans:

https://x.com/ADL/status/1732113891260277000

@UnrollHelper unroll please