Ella Emhoff, the stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris and daughter of Doug Emhoff, recently endorsed Zohran Mamdani-a New York City mayoral candidate known for his harsh criticism of Israel and radical anti-Israel positions, according to the Washington Free Beacon. In a video at a Brooklyn rally, Ella praised Mamdani as the future mayor who would make the city “happier, healthier, and more affordable.”
However, Mamdani’s record is defined less by his progressive economic policies and more by his outspoken hostility toward Israel, including his arrest at a protest demanding Senator Chuck Schumer block Israeli retaliation against Hamas after the October 7 terror attacks.
According to the Free Beacon, “Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America—which held a rally in New York on October 8 ‘in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to resist 75 years of occupation and apartheid’ that featured an image of a swastika—and the son of Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, who has argued against the existence of Israel. He said in an interview with notorious Hamas apologist Mehdi Hasan that, if elected mayor, he will have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested, and has supported the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. Mamdani has earned the support of figures like Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) and streamer Hasan Piker, who has said that “America deserved 9/11.”
Doug Emhoff, who previously led the Biden administration’s campaign against antisemitism, faces growing scrutiny over his apparent inability or unwillingness to address his daughter’s public support for figures and causes widely criticized as antisemitic. Critics argue that, given his prominent role in combating antisemitism, Emhoff should be more proactive in guiding or publicly addressing his daughter’s activism, especially when it directly contradicts the values he has claimed to champion.
While Emhoff has spoken out against antisemitism in official capacities, his silence regarding Ella’s repeated endorsements of anti-Israel organizations and individuals, such as fundraising for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (alleged to have ties to terrorist groups) and promoting donations to UNRWA after staff were implicated in the October 7 attacks, raises questions about his consistency and influence as a public figure, the Free Beacon suggests. Detractors say that Emhoff’s lack of public response undermines his credibility and the seriousness of his commitment to fighting antisemitism.
Doug Emhoff’s silence as his daughter aligns herself with anti-Israel activists and causes has led to criticism that he is not living up to the standards he set as a public advocate against antisemitism. His critics argue that true leadership requires consistency and the courage to address difficult issues even within one’s own family.
