LA Mayor Candidate Stands By Genocide Accusations in Tense Jewish Community Forum

Nithya Raman walked into a room full of Jewish voters Tuesday night and basically told them to accept her friendship with antisemitism. That’s the generous interpretation of what happened when the far-left Los Angeles mayoral frontrunner defended her cozy relationship with Hasan Piker and refused to back down from calling Israel’s actions in Gaza “genocide.”

Let’s be clear about who Hasan Piker is. This isn’t some middle-of-the-road political commentator we’re talking about. The guy has praised Hamas, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda on his streaming platform. You read that right. Those aren’t exaggerations or out-of-context clips. He’s lauded literal terrorist organizations, and Raman thought appearing on his show was good campaign strategy.

When pressed on this decision at the Jewish community forum, Raman rolled out the standard progressive playbook. She needs to “meet people where they’re at,” she said. Candidates must engage voters across different platforms. It’s the same tired excuse Abdul El-Sayed offered when defending his own Piker appearances. As if Jewish voters should just nod along while their concerns about rising antisemitism get dismissed as provincial thinking.

The arrogance is breathtaking. Raman essentially told hundreds of Jewish community members that platforming someone who celebrates their enemies is just smart politics. She’s chasing votes from the terminally online left while expecting the Jewish community to understand it’s nothing personal. Just business.

But here’s where it gets worse. Raman doubled down on her use of the word “genocide” to describe Israel’s military operations in Gaza. She cited unnamed “experts” as her justification. No specifics. No nuance about the complexities of urban warfare against an enemy that uses human shields. Just the blanket accusation that’s become fashionable in certain progressive circles.

This matters beyond the obvious insult. Words have meaning. Genocide isn’t a rhetorical flourish you toss around because it polls well with your base. It’s a specific crime with legal definitions and historical weight. Using it to describe Israel’s defense against Hamas cheapens actual genocides and reveals either ignorance or malice. Pick your poison.

The thing about meeting people where they’re at is that it works both ways. Jewish voters in Los Angeles are meeting Raman exactly where she’s at, and they’re recognizing what they see. A politician so hungry for progressive credibility that she’ll sacrifice principle for platform access. Someone who views their legitimate concerns about antisemitism as obstacles to navigate rather than problems to address.

StopAntisemitism founder Liora Rez nailed it when she said Raman’s remarks should alarm every Jewish voter in the city. This isn’t about one appearance or one word choice. It’s about a pattern of judgment that prioritizes radical chic over basic decency. It’s about a candidate who thinks she can have it both ways, courting the DSA crowd while expecting Jewish voters to trust her good intentions.

Los Angeles deserves better than this kind of cynical calculation. The Jewish community certainly deserves better than watching a mayoral candidate defend rhetoric that demonizes the world’s only Jewish state. Individual liberty includes the freedom to call out dangerous nonsense when you see it. Limited government means leaders who protect all citizens, not just the ones who fit their preferred narrative.

Raman’s performance Tuesday night wasn’t just tone-deaf. It was revealing. She showed voters exactly who she is and what she values. Smart voters will believe her.

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