Biden’s antisemitism envoy accuses Harris campaign of ‘classic antisemitism’

President Biden’s antisemitism czar and deputy czar blast Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, accusing it of “classic antisemitism” for probing Jewish governor considered for VP slot as possible Israeli double agent.

By World Israel News Staff

Two officials who served in the Biden administration to monitor and combat antisemitism have condemned the 2024 presidential campaign of former Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing the campaign of “classic antisemitism.”

The criticism stems from claims by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, that when he was vetted as a possible vice presidential nominee for the Democratic ticket in 2024, he was asked by campaign officials whether he was secretly working as a “double agent for Israel.”

The New York Times revealed the accusation in a report Sunday that cited excerpts from Shapiro’s upcoming memoir.

After the encounter, Shapiro wrote, he was left wondering “whether these questions were being posed to just me, the only Jewish guy in the running, or if everyone who had not held a federal office was being grilled about Israel in the same way.”

“These sessions were completely professional and businesslike,” Shapiro added. “But I just had a knot in my stomach through all of it.”

On Monday, Deborah Lipstadt responded to the revelation, writing on social media that the incident was “extremely distressing.”

“When vetted by the White House for my position as Special Envoy, I was not asked anything akin to this. Had I been, I would have responded that the question is an example of why an Envoy is necessary. It is classic antisemitism,” Lipstadt wrote.

“The more I read about Josh Shapiro’s treatment in the vetting process, the more disturbed I become. The questions to him, I repeat, are why they needed a Special Envoy on antisemitism. These questions were classic antisemitism.”

Lipstadt, a historian who focuses on Holocaust denial and antisemitism, served as President Joe Biden’s special envoy on antisemitism.

Her deputy, Aaron Keyak, also denounced the Harris campaign’s inquiry of Shapiro as antisemitic.

“The minimum demand of Jews in the United States and our allies – even those in public service – is to simply be treated like any other American, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or race,” Keyak said in a statement.

“That Governor Josh Shapiro wrote that he was asked if he was a double agent of the world’s only Jewish state is an antisemitic inquiry.”

“While we can safely assume that asking all potential Vice Presidential picks if they are an Israeli double agent is not included on the standard list, the obvious question is why it was Governor Shapiro who was targeted by the staff of the presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee, Kamala Harris, in particular. The truth is, we almost certainly know why.”