Rep. Mike Lawler said it is “shameful” that some people feel it’s acceptable to make antisemitic remarks, after describing a recent incident in which he was targeted. Speaking to Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation, the New York Republican — who serves in the House Problem Solvers Caucus alongside Rep. Josh Gottheimer — criticized the broader rise in antisemitism and the normalization of hateful speech.
Lawler told Brennan, “the idea that people feel it’s okay to engage in that type of conduct is shameful.” He has drawn attention to the issue after being subjected to an antisemitic comment by the son of Sen. Rand Paul, an episode Lawler and others say underscores how quickly demeaning rhetoric can spread. Lawler and Gottheimer have both been active in trying to address and push back against antisemitic incidents around the country.
The exchange on Face the Nation framed Lawler’s comments around a larger concern about growing intolerance and the need for public leaders and institutions to condemn bigotry. Lawler’s remarks reflect calls from some members of Congress for stronger responses when elected officials, their families or public figures are implicated in antisemitic or otherwise discriminatory speech.
Lawler did not call for any specific policy in that interview, but his remarks add to ongoing debate in Washington over how lawmakers and platforms should respond when antisemitic conduct appears in public discourse. Advocates and some members of Congress have urged clearer norms and swifter accountability to curb hateful conduct and to protect targeted communities.