Leo Terrell, a 70-year-old civil rights attorney from California and the head of Donald Trump's official antisemitism taskforce, has become embroiled in controversy. Recently, Terrell shared a social media post by Patrick Casey, a former leader of the defunct racist group Identity Evropa. The post targeted Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, and included footage of Donald Trump making inflammatory remarks about Schumer's Jewish identity. The incident has sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about Terrell's judgment.
Terrell, who was nominated to serve in the civil rights division of the US Justice Department earlier this year, has not commented on the controversy. The post he shared came after he circulated a tweet by Casey, claiming that Trump "has the ability to revoke someone's Jew card." This has led to accusations against Terrell of sharing content from a white supremacist source.
Patrick Casey, who has a history of making antisemitic statements and has expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler's rhetoric, described Schumer as "used to be Jewish" and "is not Jewish anymore, he's a Palestinian" in the controversial post. Such remarks have intensified scrutiny on Terrell's role as head of the Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.
"Trump's antisemitism chief shared an antisemitic, white supremacist post from a neo-Nazi involved in Charlottesville," said Amy Spitalnick.
Terrell's career has been marked by several controversial statements, including a declaration that his mission is to "take over" the Republican Party "as much as possible." Once a Democrat, he now openly supports Donald Trump. Despite the backlash, Terrell remains steadfast in his political alignment.
The post shared by Terrell has drawn condemnation from various quarters, with critics arguing that it undermines the very purpose of the antisemitism taskforce he leads.
"Antisemitism in any environment is repugnant to this nation's ideals. The department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found. The Task Force to Combat Antisemitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending antisemitism in our schools," stated Leo Terrell, reflecting on his role and responsibilities.