Transcript and Video: Rep. Dan Goldman Blasts Republicans for Using Boulder Attack to Politicize Antisemitism

 

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today delivered remarks on the floor of the House condemning House Republicans for attempting to politicize the antisemitic firebomb attack in Boulder, CO. 

 

 

Congressman Dan Goldman: To argue that somehow this is a reflection of our immigration system, uses Jews as a partisan pawn. It is the exact opposite of what we Jews in this country need. And I get that we're in a political body. I get that you like to put these resolutions. You weren't here, Mr. Evans, last term, but there were about ten antisemitism resolutions that effectively said the same thing solely to score political points. 

 

We Jews are sick and tired of being used as pawns. Antisemitism is rising to such a degree that people are now being murdered because they're Jewish. We're not just talking about protests on campus anymore.  

 

Every single Jewish institution has to significantly increase security. We all have to worry when we go into a synagogue whether we will be the next victim.  And here we are dealing with this resolution, that is trying to convert antisemitism and antisemitic violence into some immigration gotcha game. 

 

What are we thanking ICE  agents for? In a resolution commemorating and condemning antisemitism and remembering and honoring the victims when there were no ICE agents there? ICE has nothing to do with it.  

 

It's because ICE is spending so much time pulling non-violent, non-criminal immigrants out of court, where they're going through a lawful process to come in here, so that they can be removed in expedited removal,  so that they can have their asylum claims– a lawful pathway– voided, so they can be kicked out of the country with minimal due process. 

 

Just so Republicans and President Trump can meet their quota of mass deportations. You promised us you were going to go after convicted criminals. These people are not convicted criminals. 

 

This resolution says that there's cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement. Really? Because as far as I know, the President of the United States ordered the National Guard to go into California over the objection of the governor of California– something that has not happened since 1965. And in 1965, it happened because the governor of the state was not following federal law. 

 

Is that the kind of cooperation that we're looking for here?  

 

This resolution should be pulled immediately. Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Neguse, have offered resolutions that properly honor the victims, condemn antisemitism, give the American people the sense that Congress, as a unified body, will not tolerate antisemitic violence. But instead, we're voting on an immigration ‘gotcha resolution’ that uses antisemitism as a political pawn.  

 

Mr. Speaker, I urge you and I urge my colleagues on the other side to come to your senses. Stop using antisemitism as a partisan weapon. Pull this resolution. Allow Mr. Neguse’s resolution to be introduced and voted on, as is the tradition of this body, in parallel  along with Mr. Van Drew's, which accurately reflects the threat not just in Boulder, Colorado, but in Washington, D.C. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and all around the country.