Rep. Mike Lawler accuses New York Attorney General of neglecting antisemitic hate prosecutions

At a recent endorsement gathering, Rep. Mike Lawler publicly urged New York Attorney General Letitia James to prioritize the prosecution of antisemitic hate crimes, citing a recent attack on a Manhattan synagogue during Shabbat services. The assailant, identified as Larry Montes, struck a worshipper and a member of the synagogue’s security team before being arrested and arraigned on two hate-crime assault counts and one hate-crime criminal mischief count, with bail set at $10,000 cash and $30,000 in bonds.

James responded with a statement labeling the incident "appalling and unacceptable." Lawler pressed for tougher action, including ending cash-less bail and increasing prosecutions, and referenced NYPD statistics indicating that antisemitic incidents now exceed half of all hate crimes in the city and have risen 8.5% since the previous year. He also claimed that over 90% of such crimes go unprosecuted in New York.

The event featured endorsements from several law-enforcement groups, including the Police Conference of New York and the New York State Fraternal Order of Police. Both Lawler and James are seeking re-election.