MD Hate Crimes Commission Member Reinstated After Anti-Israeli Posts

BALTIMORE, MD — Attorney General Anthony Brown has reinstated a member of the Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention after she was temporarily suspended last week for making anti-Israeli posts on social media.

In a news release, Brown said the suspension of Zainab Chaudry ended Wednesday after a review of state law determined he did not have the authority to remove a commissioner before the end of their appointed term.

Last week, Brown said his office learned about social media posts made by Chaudry, who also is executive director of the Maryland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

• RELATED: MD Hate Crimes Commission Member Suspended For Anti-Israeli Posts

According to a review of Chaudry's social media posts by the Baltimore Banner, an Oct. 26 post read: "I will never be able to understand how the world summoned up rage for 40 fake Israeli babies while completely turning a blind eye to 3,000 real Palestinian babies."

Another post on Oct. 17 compared the actions of Israel to Nazi Germany, according to the Banner.

The Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention was established after legislation was passed and signed into law earlier this year.

According to Brown, the commission is charged with developing strategies to prevent and respond to hate crime activity and evaluating state laws and policies relating to hate crimes.

The commission is made up of more than 20 organizations, including CAIR, Brown said.

According to Brown, while the attorney general's office can appoint members to state commissions, removal can only be carried out by the General Assembly or Gov. Wes Moore.

In an interview with WTOP following her suspension, Chaudry called the decision "deeply troubling" and claimed it infringed on her First Amendment rights.

“These comments were made in my own personal capacity. And they were in no shape, way or form designed to invite hate,” she said.

CAIR also called on Brown to reverse Chaudry's suspension, calling it a "blatant act of censorship."

"Zainab's suspension is... a betrayal of the very values that the Hate Crimes Commission is supposed to uphold," the statement read. "Her outspoken criticism of the Israeli government's human rights abuses and her unwavering support for Palestinian rights have made her a target for anti-Muslim extremists, but they should not be allowed to silence her."

According to Brown, commission members will be expected to adhere to new guidelines that "balance (their) right to freedom of speech and their roles as commissioners."

"Once the guidelines are finalized, all Commission members will be expected to comply with them and I fully anticipate that they will," Brown said. "I believe the commissioners recognize the commitment required to eradicate hate crimes and bias incidents in Maryland, including the rising tide of antisemitism and Islamophobia. We must all put aside our differences, no matter how stark they may seem, and find common ground on ways to respond to and prevent hate crimes in our state."