Michigan's Democratic AG refuses to attend upcoming convention over harassment concerns
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told Jewish leaders and community members during a roundtable last week that she has no plans to attend the Michigan Democratic Party’s nominating convention next month out of concern for her safety.
"I feel like my presence isn’t going to be welcome," Nessel said, according to the Michigan Advance. "I don’t want to get chased around. I don’t want to get harassed. I don’t want to get yelled and screamed at. I don’t want to get booed off the stage, irrespective of what I’m saying. And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen because it’s been happening to me."
Nessel, the first Jewish person to be elected Michigan's attorney general, claimed that party leadership has neglected her concerns over the rise of antisemitism within the Democratic Party despite reporting that she was harassed by some members.
Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus chair Jessica Alexander told Fox News Digital that she respected Nessel's decision and, though she does not believe that the Democratic Party itself is antisemitic, acknowledged a rise in "anti-Jewish" attitudes among dissenters.
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"At this point, why should she put herself in a circumstance that feels untenable and reactionary? As active and dedicated members, we don't feel or believe the Democratic Party is antisemitic, but the anti-AIPAC rhetoric circling many current campaigns is a dog whistle for classic anti-Jewish tropes such as ‘Jews hold the power, they have the money, rising gas prices are their fault, etc.,’" Alexander said.
Alexander, who is a professor at Eastern Michigan University, added that as someone not "open to immense scrutiny" like an elected official, she is planning on attending the convention, expecting a "large turnout" for her caucus.
Nessel said she could say as a Democrat that "some things have changed," according to the Advance, and that society had to exist where "intelligent discourse and debate" could occur without threats.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Michigan Democratic Party for comment.
A spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party told the Michigan Advance that the party rejects "antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hateful conduct" and that the organization is "ensuring party-hosted events are safe and secure environments for all attendees" at the Aug. 29 convention.
Nessel revealed in 2023 that she was the target of a "heavily armed defendant" who was allegedly plotting attacks against Jewish elected officials in the wake of Israel's war in Gaza.
She also clashed with progressive "Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., after bringing charges against anti-Israel protesters at the University of Michigan.
Nessel is far from the only Michigan Democrat to express concerns over antisemitism within her party. Former Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow confirmed during a debate in May before she suspended her campaign that disdain for Jewish people among Democrats is a growing problem.
"At the Democratic convention, an attendee yelled an antisemitic slur at my husband, who is Jewish and was walking with my 5-year-old daughter. That is terrifying," McMorrow said.
Some Jewish Democrats have also reported intending to vote for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers if progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed wins the upcoming Democratic primary.