After Antisemitic Messages, Lawyer Fired From IL Comptroller's Office

ACROSS ILLINOIS — A lawyer has been fired from the Illinois comptroller's office after she was accused of sharing antisemitic messages on Instagram Thursday, according to reports.

Attorney Sarah Chowdhury is accused of writing in a message thread, "Vermin should have been killed decades ago" and "all you zionists will pay," according to screenshots shared on X by the group StopAntisemites.

The comments also show Chowdhury writing "Hopefully someone sends you anthrax or poison and you die a slow, terrible death" and "Hitler should have eradicated all of you."

A spokesperson for Mendoza's office told Patch Chowdhury had worked for the comptroller's office for three years prior to Thursday's incident.

Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza shared the following statement following Thursday's incident,

"The Instagram exchange appears to have been posted midday today (Thursday). It was posted on X (Twitter) and was brought to the office's attention around 12:30 p.m. The office reached the employee around 2 p.m. and she admitted to at least some of the posts. Comptroller Mendoza has zero tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech. The employee was immediately fired."

They also appended a previous statement in which Mendoza shared support for Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Mendoza wrote, in part, "The United States of America and the State of Illinois stand with the people of Israel and Israel itself. It is crucial that we acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and its right to utilize the full extent of its powers to defend itself against those who wish to destroy it."

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