ATLANTA — Police continue to search for the person who placed antisemitic fliers inside clear plastic baggies at the homes of Jewish families across north metro Atlanta.
One of the people who received them was a state lawmaker currently working on legislation to combat antisemitism in Georgia.
State Rep. Esther Panitch, a Sandy Springs Democrat, awoke Sunday morning to find antisemitic fliers in her driveway.
She learned later that many other Jewish families received the same fliers.
“I was a little stunned,” Panitch said. “We had heard of this happening in other neighborhoods over the last few months.”
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Panitch is co-sponsor of a bill, along with State Rep. John Carson, a Marietta Republican, that would give a legal definition to antisemitism to make it easy for law enforcement and prosecutors to go after the kinds of people who left the fliers on her driveway.
“So these people really didn’t know whose driveway they were affecting when they did what they did,” Panitch said. “This happens to be the week we’re debating and discussing HB 30 which provides a definition for antisemitism.”
Carson said he was appalled by what happened to his colleague. He and dozens of other House lawmakers stood with Panitch in the well as she addressed the gathering.
“Absolutely deplorable,” Carson said. “It kind of makes the case for my bill. That group is trying to get headlines, and they got them, but as a result, I think it’s going to help our case in regards to why this is needed.”
A House committee could vote on the bill tomorrow.
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