Illinois comptroller fires attorney for antisemitic comments, "Hitler should have eradicated all of

August 2024 · 2 minute read

The Illinois Comptroller's Office fired one of their attorneys over antisemitic comments on Instagram linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

An Instagram meme account "Big Law Boiz" run by a Jewish man posted direct messages sent to them by Sarah Chowdhury.

Chowdury's comments included "F***ing Jew," "I'd rather put you in a gas chamber bet you'd like that," "With all of our Zionist ancestors" and "Hitler should have eradicated all of you."

The comptroller's office told The National Desk in a statement, “She admitted to at least some of the posts” adding that the office has “zero tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech.”

Chowdhury was fired within 90 minutes of the office learning of the comments.

Chowdhury told the Chicago Tribune on Thursday she was "extremely sorry" for the "reprehensible" comments. She then resigned from her role as President of the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago.

Her now-removed bio from the SABA Chicago page said she was also Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar’s Racial Justice Coalition. The Chicago Bar said they’re conducting an “internal investigation.”

Chowdhury is far from the only one whose job is on the line over antisemitic comments in light of the war in the Middle East.

Students at Cornell called for Professor Russell Rickford to be fired following his comments calling Hamas’ initial attack “energizing.”

Rickford initially doubled down on his comments but in the face of mounting backlash, issued an apology.

"I think people need to understand Rickford is not the problem. He is a symptom of a deeper problem on campus," said Cornell Law School professor, William Jacobson. "When he made these comments about feeling 'exhilarated' the crowd cheered. That is the problem."

Antisemitic comments are also crippling some careers before they begin.

Top law firms are pulling offers of employment from law students at Harvard, Columbia, and NYU over anti-Israel statements.

A corporate law professor at Berkeley wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “Don’t Hire My Anti-Semitic Law Students."

“You don’t want them to be representing your clients and you don’t want them to be part of your group,” said Professor Steve Solomon who wrote the Op-Ed. “Frankly law students should know better.”

At least a dozen CEOs are now refusing to hire Harvard students from the 30+ groups who wrote an anti-Israel letter.

The Graduate Student Union is now reportedly considering handing out emergency funds to those facing consequences for participating in antisemitism.

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