Maryland Attorney General Takes Action Against Member of Hate Crime Task Force over Antisemitic Social Media Posts

In a surprising turn of events, Democrat Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has taken action against a member of his own hate crime task force over a series of antisemitic social media posts. Zainab Chaudry, the director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) Maryland office, made these posts in the aftermath of the brutal Oct. 7 Hamas attack, in which more than 1,200 people, including children and babies, were killed.

The Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention, which was created during the 2023 legislative session, includes a representative from CAIR, among other advocacy organizations. However, after learning about Chaudry's personal social media posts, Attorney General Brown decided to temporarily suspend her membership in the Commission.

According to a press release from Brown's office, he determined that Chaudry's social media posts risked disrupting the work and mission of the Commission, and therefore steps had to be taken to ensure that its vital work could continue without interruption. Brown also announced that his office would develop a draft values statement regarding personal communications by commission members, urging them to exercise great care in their communications and conduct.

Chaudry's social media posts, which came to light recently, included a post from Oct. 26 in which she expressed her inability to understand why the world showed rage for "fake Israeli babies" while turning a blind eye to "real Palestinian babies." In another post from Oct. 17, Chaudry shared two photos of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, one showing it lit up with the Israeli flag in solidarity with Israel, and another from a 1936 ceremony when it was decorated with the flag of Nazi Germany. Chaudry appeared to suggest in later posts that the existence of Israel as a nation was the cause of the ongoing war.

When asked for comment, Chaudry told Fox News Digital that the “Nazi post” had originally been shared by a close Jewish friend. She then went on to accuse the Israeli government of wanting to commit genocide against Palestinians, while also condemning the killing of Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

The fallout from Chaudry's posts reflects a broader trend of Americans facing professional repercussions for their public comments about the war between Israel and Hamas. The conflict has spilled into workplaces, educational institutions, politics, the corporate world, and college campuses across the country.

Attorney General Brown has assigned staff to develop a values statement about personal communications, emphasizing the importance of the Commission serving as a model for the entire state on how to respond to incidents of hate and bias. He stated that the Commission is facing its first test and how they respond will have deep implications.