Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently revealed that she will skip the Michigan Democratic Party’s convention, set to take place in August, alleging that she does not “feel safe” attending due to what she described as rising antisemitism within the party. The revelation sparked backlash against Nessel, as many Michigan residents accused her of using antisemitism as an excuse to avoid facing criticism for supporting Israel.
As reported by Michigan Advance, Nessel, who is Jewish, said she was afraid of being “booed off the stage” or harassed during the convention. She also said that the “rise in antisemitism” within the Democratic Party needs to be addressed.
Nessel’s remarks echo a convention held earlier in April, during which Senate candidate Haley Stevens was booed while on stage. Nessel officially endorsed Stevens, who received money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and generally holds a pro-Israel stance. According to recent polls, Haley Stevens is trailing Abdul El-Sayed by 15 points in the Senate primary.
Michigan Reacts to Nessel’s Claims of ‘Antisemitism’ Within Democratic Party
Michigan residents were skeptical of Nessel’s explanation on r/Michigan. One of them wrote: “Translation: She doesn’t want to be in the same room with El-Sayed and see him take his victory lap on stage.”
Others criticized both the attorney general and the Michigan governor, who also endorsed Stevens: “Both Nessel and [Michigan Governor Gretchen] Whitmer completely lost the plot in the last few years.”
Another person responded: “They’re both trying to dodge the progressive wing that is supporting Abdul El-Sayed. Rather than acknowledge that the party is shifting and engage with the progressives, they’d rather be avoidant. On top of that, they’re trying to play the victim card.”
The discussion led one user to theorize: “It’s an AIPAC dog whistle. You know, that PAC that doesn’t give a [expletive] about Democrats, Republicans, or Americans as they donate to BOTH parties – the one that exists solely to push forward Israeli interests. You know, the one that donated a record amount of cash to Stevens’ campaign so she can push Israeli interests above American interests.”
Overall, users were skeptical of Nessel’s claims, with many arguing that any criticism she might receive at the convention would be driven more by her political views than by her Jewish ancestry. As one user put it: “Is it really antisemitism if you only get it for supporting Israel?”
