NYC Councilwoman Suggests Jews May Be Partially To Blame For Knockout Attacks (VIDEO)

by Austin Petersen

 Blaming The Victim Because They’re Successful?

Councilwoman-elect Laurie Cumbo was elected to represent Crown Heights in January, and she’s already got one big, fat foot in her mouth. Cumbo released a letter recently saying that the cause of violence against Jews may be because her black constituents feel threatened by the growth of the neighborhood’s Jewish community. She feared the tensions could be causing the spike in recent violence against the Jewish people.

“Many African American/Caribbean residents expressed a genuine concern that as the Jewish community continues to grow, they would be pushed out by their Jewish landlords or by Jewish families looking to purchase homes,” Cumbo wrote on her Facebook page.

“I respect and appreciate the Jewish community’s family values and unity that has led to strong political, economic and cultural gains. While I personally regard this level of tenacity, I also recognize that for others, the accomplishments of the Jewish community triggers feelings of resentment, and a sense that Jewish success is not also their success,” she said.

She added that these views, “offer possible insight as to how young African-American/Caribbean teens could conceivably commit a ‘hate crime’ against a community that they know very little about.”

Crown Heights community leader Rabbi Chanina Sperlin, an acquaintance of Cumbo said that her letter was completely off the mark.

“I saw her letter. I told her I totally disagree,” he said. “I think she has a lot to learn in this community….she’s coming in on such a left foot, and she didn’t even step into the City Council yet. I don’t know where the wild dream is coming from that Jewish people want to kick African-Americans out of their houses…but it’s definitely not coming from the Jewish community,” Sperlin said.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force have been investigating around seven attacks that have occurred in the Midwood, Borough Park and Crown Heights areas. Jews of varying ages have been targeted for violence, including a 78-year-old woman who was attacked on November 9th.




Austin Petersen is a homegrown Missourian with a lifelong passion for liberty. He grew up on a horse farm in Peculiar, Missouri and went on to attend Missouri State University, graduating with a degree in the Fine Arts. After developing a career in media in both New York City and Washington, D.C., he returned to Kansas City, MO, the city he now calls home. In 2016, Petersen appeared on the national stage as a candidate for president of the United States. He took second place in the crowded Libertarian primary behind Governor Gary Johnson and ahead of cyber security maverick John McAfee. During his campaign, Petersen earned many high-profile conservative endorsements, including Mary Matalin, Erick Erickson and Leon Wolf of RedState.com. Petersen also brings decades of professional experience in a wide variety of fields, from content production and media to business and political activism. He is the owner and chief executive of Stonegait LLC, a consulting firm specializing in photo and video services. He was also the director of production at FreedomWorks and an associate producer for Judge Andrew Napolitano’s show “Freedom Watch” on the Fox Business Network. Additionally, Petersen has a national following as a commentator and professional pundit. He is the founder of The Libertarian Republic, a powerful online news source for the public that receives an average of 1 million unique visits monthly and whose podcast, The Freedom Report, receives an average of one million monthly downloads. He is also a frequent contributor on television, appearing on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, MSNBC and on dozens of local radio shows.

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