A group of 15 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis R. McDonough on Jan. 25, urging the department to take greater action against an attorney who shared antisemitism on social media.
This recent correspondence was a follow-up to a Dec. 13 letter.
The congressional leaders wrote that Shekeba Morrad had posted “an openly antisemitic and disrespectful video ... on Instagram mocking Israelis pleading for the return of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.”
The letter noted that following an internal investigation, “Morrad was counseled and required to complete harassment training as a solution for her actions.”
But Stefanik and her colleagues did not regard such disciplinary action as sufficient, writing: “We are incredulous that you believe this is an adequate response. The statements made by Ms. Morrad are abhorrent and insensitive, and we agree with you that they do not align with VA’s core values.”
The Congress members demanded that McDonough provide them with all documents associated with the fact-finding and recommendations.
Specifically, they stated that “as the Department has already determined the appropriate response to Ms. Morrad’s actions, we would presume these documents are readily available. As such, please provide to us no later than Feb. 8, 2024, any documents, evidence, and witness transcripts related to the internal investigation of Ms. Morrad’s actions.”
