Biden’s pick to combat antisemitism finally gets hearing

By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s pick to monitor and combat prejudice against Jews around the world finally got her day before the Senate committee that will evaluate her nomination. Biden had nominated Deborah Lipstadt to lead the State Department’s office for combating antisemitism in late July. A hostage standoff last month at a Texas synagogue brought about new calls for the Senate to act on her nomination. But Lipstadt’s nomination languished after she was highly critical of comments from Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin about the insurrection on Jan. 6. Lipstadt said her comments were focused on the remarks, not the person making them.