(RNS) — Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg told a Jewish publication he would dedicate $1 billion to fighting anti-Semitism — a clear sign the presidential candidate from Indiana is continuing to court Jewish voters.
“My administration will devote $1 billion to prevent and combat radicalization and violent extremism,” Buttigieg said in the article, in which he responded to five questions put to him by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, or JTA. “We will empower law enforcement by increasing the FBI’s domestic counterterrorism field staff and pass federal legislation to expand our ability to track hate.”
The Democratic candidate’s statement comes amid a rising tide of violent anti-Semitism and ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which falls on Monday (Jan. 27). This year’s remembrance day also marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Israel is marking the event with a large gathering at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, attended by dozens of world leaders, including Vice President Mike Pence.
In the Q&A, Buttigieg said that as president he would authorize new funding for teaching children about the Holocaust.
He said he would also direct the Department of Justice to make prosecuting hate crimes a departmental priority and provide grants through the Department of Homeland Security to better secure and protect Jewish…
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