ADL Midwest Criticizes Progressive Legislator Days After Election Win

The Anti-Defamation League issued a formal critique of Democratic congressman-elect Daniel Biss on Wednesday, prompting the new member of Congress to publicly question the organization's current direction. Biss, who secured a decisive victory in suburban Chicago, called the ADL's initial reaction "a devolve into an entity that traffics in fear, intimidation and extremism." He noted that such rhetoric undermines the goal of keeping the Jewish community safe.

The dispute began on Election Night when ADL Midwest, the local chapter, released a statement expressing "serious concerns" about Biss's approach to antisemitism. The group pointed to specific decisions Biss made while serving as mayor of Evanston. These included his choice not to use local police to disband a pro-Palestinian encampment at Northwestern University. The ADL also cited his opposition to a state law restricting pension fund investments in companies that boycott Israel, as well as his campaign's stance against AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group that spent heavily on a rival in the Democratic primary.

Rebecca Weininger, the senior regional director for ADL Midwest, stated in the initial release that the organization expects Biss to recognize when language regarding Israel crosses into "antisemitic tropes, collective blame or hostility toward Jewish Americans." She added that he should engage respectfully with Jewish constituents, even those with differing views. Biss, the grandson of Holocaust survivors who previously held Israeli citizenship, rejected the premise of the criticism. He stated that "Jewish safety has always been intertwined with the safety of every marginalized community" and noted that President Donald Trump "has made Jews less safe at home and abroad."

Other Jewish advocacy groups weighed in to support Biss. The Nexus Project, an antisemitism monitoring organization, declared the ADL "wrong. Period," calling its strategy of creating adversarial relationships with progressive members "self-defeating and damaging." J Street, a liberal Zionist lobby, described the ADL's decision to lead with concerns rather than congratulations as a "Shanda," a term referring to a communal embarrassment. The Philadelphia branch of the ADL also issued a statement on Election Night criticizing Chris Rabb, another progressive Jewish legislator who won a congressional seat in New York.

Following the wave of criticism, ADL Midwest issued a second statement on Wednesday morning. The new release said the group "looks forward to working with elected officials across our region to help protect the Jewish community." This follow-up statement congratulated other Illinois winners, including Governor JB Pritzker, but omitted Biss's name. The ADL's national office released its own statement later that day. Without naming specific candidates, it said the campaign season highlighted the dangers of portraying Jews as disloyal or responsible for societal problems. The national office added that the group stands ready to work with leaders of both parties at every level of government.

Biss is one of several progressive Jewish legislators heading to Washington, alongside New York congressman-elect Brad Lander. The timing of the ADL's initial statement, released shortly after Biss's race was called, drew attention to the organization's relationship with elected officials. The local chapter's Twitter account posted the original critique on November 4, 2026. The follow-up statement was posted the next morning, marking a shift in tone after the initial backlash from the Jewish communal press and rival advocacy groups.