The Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention is under scrutiny from the Jewish community once again with the selection and subsequent resignation of Ayman Nassar, CEO of the Maryland-based Islamic Leadership Institute, from the commission amid accusations of antisemitism.
Nassar was appointed to the commission on July 31 by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, replacing former commission member Zainab Chaudry, after reforms spearheaded by the recently formed Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus were passed by the Maryland General Assembly during their last session due to the controversy around Chaudry’s social media postings that led to a brief suspension in November.
The legislation required all members of the commission to re-apply for their positions this summer and Chaudry, the Maryland director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, did not apply, leading to the selection of Nassar.
Nassar resigned on Aug. 19, citing a “coordinated Islamophobic campaign of hate and online bullying,” targeting him from the Middle East Forum and writer Benjamin Baird, who published an op-ed in the Jewish News Syndicate on Aug. 15 heavily criticizing Nassar’s associations and past public statements and accusing Nassar of “the same radical antisemitic views that cost his predecessor her seat on the commission.”
The Middle East Forum is a Philadelphia-based conservative think tank that says it “promotes American interests in the Middle East and protects Western values from Middle Eastern threats,” according to its website.
The attorney general’s office confirmed the resignation of Nassar but did not comment on the controversy around the subject.
“On Monday, August 19, 2024, Attorney General Brown accepted the resignation of Mr. Ayman Nassar from the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention,” Brown’s office said in an email.
Despite being selected by the attorney general’s office, every member of the commission was serving as acting commissioners until a Maryland Senate confirmation in January.
Baird’s article laid out several claims against Nassar, including Nassar’s association with a nonprofit that allegedly lobbied for the release of convicted terrorists and “hate speech” on his social media pages.
The article provided photos of the controversial LinkedIn posts that led to the backlash, although the Jewish Times could not independently verify their veracity as the posts did not appear on Nassar’s page during a review prior to publication.
Nassar wrote on a LinkedIn post announcing his resignation that his work and affiliations were mischaracterized and that unfounded accusations and inflammatory language was used to silence his voice because of his political opinions.
“It is troubling to witness the extent to which the forces of bigotry and online bullying can influence our state’s leadership. The campaign against me has not only been a personal attack but also an assault on the integrity of the commission and the important work it is meant to do,” Nassar wrote.
He added that his decision to resign was due to a desire to avoid wasting energy on these “distractions from the commission’s work,” that could be better spent moving the shared mission of anti-hate forward.
Brown’s office is searching for a replacement for Nassar, who will be appointed as acting commissioner until Senate approval.
“The Office of the Attorney General is extending outreach to the Muslim community across Maryland as the Office launches a search to fill the now-vacated seat. It is critical that Commission membership reflects those communities that have been most impacted by hate activity in Maryland. We look forward to the contribution of the entire membership in this important work for our State,” Brown’s office wrote in an email.
But despite Nassar’s resignation, having a second controversy just months after the Chaudry saga has left many in the local Jewish community with questions over how this has happened again.
And some community leaders are advocating for a more thorough screening process for future appointees to identify any potential objectionable content prior to the person’s appointment.
“As original members of the Attorney General’s Hate Crimes work group and advocates for formally creating it as a Commission under state law, we believe it is incredibly important that all appointees are committed to fighting hate against all groups,” said Howard Libit, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council. “Our expectation is that the Attorney General and his team will perform the necessary research to ensure that its appointees meet that standard, in their work and in their social media presence. Hopefully, the Commission can then move ahead with its important work of helping in the struggle against antisemitism and hate in Maryland.”
