Esther Panitch - Jewish Representative from District 51
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into an antisemitic letter sent to Georgia’s only Jewish lawmaker.
The investigation is happening on the same day Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill making antisemitism part of the state’s hate crime law.
Marietta Republican lawmaker John Carson authored the original bill and has worked for almost three years to get it passed.
He was shocked to learn of the hate-filled letter to Panitch.
“Absurd,” Carson said. “I just feel for Esther and her community. That’s why we fought for this bill in the first place,” Carson said.
The bill passed the General Assembly with mostly bi-partisan support.
Kemp said he was honored to sign it into law, a law that goes into effect immediately.
“There is no place for hate in this great state,” Kemp said.
The law defines antisemitism in Georgia code, so if investigators determine one of a list of crimes was motivated by antisemitism, prosecutors can prosecute under Georgia’s hate crime law.