Latest news with #Kustoff
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Jewish Republican lawmaker talks antisemitism in America after deadly DC shooting
The deadly shooting outside Washington, D.C.'s Capital Jewish Museum has added to an ongoing conversation about antisemitism after Hamas' brutal Oct. 7 massacre. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were killed when leaving an event at the museum hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The suspected shooter, Elias Rodriguez, has since been charged with their murders. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., is one of only four Jewish Republicans serving in Congress, placing him in a unique position when it comes to assessing antisemitism in America and how it has been politicized. Adl Urges Americans To Fight Hate After Deadly Shooting In Dc "We know that antisemitism has been around for a very long time, and obviously, after October 7, 2023, it came to the forefront. It came out as strongly as it did, in part because colleges and universities allowed some pro-Palestinian and frankly some pro-Hamas protesters to preach hate and antisemitism—and they didn't do anything to stop it," Kustoff told Fox News Digital. The Tennessee congressman condemned the shooting in D.C., calling it "a horrific act of antisemitic terrorism." "Antisemitic violence has no place in our society. We must remain united in calling out and confronting this rising tide of hate," Kustoff wrote in a post on X. Read On The Fox News App Kustoff said that in his district, which he described as "strongly Republican, strongly pro-Trump," there aren't many Jewish people. In fact, according to World Population Review, just under 30,000 Jews live in Tennessee, which has more than 7.3 million residents. Despite the small Jewish population, Kustoff told Fox News Digital that people in his district are "very supportive of Israel, very supportive of the U.S.'s relationship with Israel, and they love the Jewish people." However, Kustoff also said that Jewish people in his district have "real concerns about going to synagogue." Jewish institutions and community centers have had "to go above and beyond" in terms of security, according to Kustoff. Witness Recounts Chilling Moment Dc Jewish Museum Shooter Confessed 'I Did This For Gaza' The congressman spoke about an incident in 2023 when a man opened fire outside the Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South. The suspect was later identified as Joel Alejandro Bowman, who faces several charges, including attempted second-degree murder. Kustoff sees the issue of combating antisemitism as one that has received bipartisan support in Congress. He praised Democrats like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill. — who are Jewish — for their support of Israel and its relationship with the U.S., calling them "true leaders." Kustoff also noted that, while they are not Jewish, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., have been vocal about their support for Israel. While Kustoff praised colleagues on both sides of the aisle, he also criticized members of Congress who have made "incendiary" remarks about Israel, saying such rhetoric "in effect helps to breed antisemitism." Kustoff spoke to Fox News Digital shortly after a video of outspoken Israel critic Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., refusing to condemn the murders of Lischinsky and Milgrim went viral. When asked about the incident, Kustoff said that "We get asked easy questions and difficult questions all the time as members of Congress. That was clearly an easy question to answer, and her constituents can make their own decisions." As chairman of the House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group, Kustoff has had a close-up view of U.S.-Israel relations. He recalled his July 2024 trip to Israel, where he toured the site of the Nova Music Festival and a kibbutz that was attacked on Oct. 7, and met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "[Netanyahu] told me that he knows that the American people are still very supportive of Israel and the Israeli people know that," Kustoff told Fox News Digital. "We talked about the instances on college campuses. In closing, his feeling was that a number of these students probably couldn't look at a map and know where Israel is located."Original article source: Jewish Republican lawmaker talks antisemitism in America after deadly DC shooting
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Protestors rally outside TN House member's office against president's tax bill
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Some Memphians protested outside a Tennessee House member's office after President Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Tax Bill' moved on to the Senate after being passed by the House. One of the House members, Republican David Kustoff, who represents the 8th congressional district of Tennessee, voted for the bill. According to The Hill, the bill — titled the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' adopting Trump's slogan for the measure — extends the tax cuts enacted by the president during his first term in 2017; boosts funding for border, deportation, and national defense priorities; imposes reforms, like beefed-up work requirements, on Medicaid that are projected to result in millions of low-income individuals losing health insurance; rolls back green energy tax incentives; and, among many other provisions, increases the debt limit by $4 trillion. On Tuesday, outside his office, were dozens of protesters who gathered, saying they want Kustoff to explain himself. House passes Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' in marathon overnight session Following the passage of the bill last Thursday, Congressman Kustoff released a statement saying he is 'proud to support this bill that will cement President Trump's America First agenda and deliver unprecedented relief to all Americans.' 'Because we have tried for months to have a town hall so he can hear from his constituents and hear our concerns and know how we want him to proceed, and he has ignored that, so we are here to let him know that, regardless of what you're doing. We will hold you accountable. We see you ignoring us, and we will not be ignored,' said Amber Hampton, Indivisible Memphis. 'These are not numbers, these are not just statistics, they are people that live near us,' said Hampton. 'They are our neighbors, they go to school with our children, and just because I am not directly benefiting from these programs does not mean it will have an impact on people that I care about. Or our community and prosperity of America as a whole.' WREG reached out to Congressman Kustoff's office for comment, but has not heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
