In a briefing for the House Education & Workforce Committee on his response to the anti-Israel protest encampment at Northwestern University in 2024, Evanston, Ill., Mayor Daniel Biss “severely downplayed” the situation on that campus and antisemitism across the country, the committee said.

The committee asked Biss, who is a congressional candidate in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), to brief them on his decision to withhold Evanston police support from Northwestern University when requested by the school to help clear the encampment.

The lack of external law enforcement support prompted Northwestern to make a deal, widely criticized in the Jewish community, with the encampment members to disband voluntarily, according to internal Northwestern communications released by the committee.

“In his briefing with the Committee today, Mr. Biss severely downplayed antisemitism at Northwestern after October 7th. He told the Committee that the great majority of his Jewish friends in the Northwestern community had no concerns about it,” a committee spokesperson told Jewish Insider.

That’s at odds with comments from Jewish Northwestern community members and local Jewish groups about the encampment.

“He further stated that Northwestern should not have received an F on the Anti-Defamation League’s college report card. He even accused the Committee of alarmism that is not warranted by the facts when it comes to antisemitism at the university after the October 7th attacks,” the spokesperson continued. “The countless Jewish Northwestern students, faculty, and community members that the Committee has interviewed would say otherwise.”

The school reached an agreement with the Department of Justice last year, paying $75 million and making policy changes to address antisemitism on its campus.

Biss, meanwhile, has dismissed the committee’s questioning of him as a smear campaign orchestrated by AIPAC and one of his primary opponents, state Sen. Laura Fine, to hurt his congressional campaign.

“From the start, this ‘briefing’ was a flimsy attempt to weaponize the very real threat of antisemitism to attack me and support my opponent. It failed,” Biss said in a statement. 

“I’m proud of my record of protecting peaceful protest and combating antisemitism, including my decision to decline the unnecessary and undemocratic request to clear the Northwestern encampment in 2024. As the Trump administration increasingly attacks our fundamental democratic rights, it’s more important than ever to back our commitment to peaceful protest with action. I hope the committee learned something today.”

Biss’ campaign also noted that only House staff attended the briefing, rather than lawmakers themselves.

An outside group began an ad campaign in the Chicago area on Saturday attacking Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, a progressive congressional candidate in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.

The ad campaign by Elect Chicago Women — a super PAC rumored to be a vehicle for pro-Israel supporters which has been a leading backer of Biss’ opponent, state Sen. Laura Fine — accuses Biss of making “empty promises,” including voting to cut Medicaid despite promising to protect healthcare, running a super PAC and declaring his candidacy for Congress shortly after taking office as mayor despite pledging to serve a full term.

“Daniel Biss: always running for something, willing to say anything to get elected,” the ad concludes.

The ad closely mirrors messaging from Fine, who is the moderate, pro-Israel candidate in the race. To this point, Elect Chicago Women has only been running positive ads boosting Fine, as well as another moderate candidate in another open district.

The other top contender in the 9th District primary, alongside Biss and Fine, is far-left anti-Israel activist Kat Abughazaleh, who has taken an even more hostile view towards the Jewish state than Biss. While Biss supports the Block the Bombs Act and efforts to unilaterally recognize Palestinian statehood, Abughazaleh has accused Israel of genocide.

Frank Calabrese, a Chicago-area political strategist, told Jewish Insider that the ad campaign runs the risk of pushing progressive voters away from Biss and towards Abughazaleh, rather than Fine — a concern that one activist in the local Jewish community expressed to JI as well earlier this year.

That dynamic occurred in this month’s special election primary in New Jersey, where spending by the AIPAC-linked United Democracy Project attacking former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) pushed voters toward his further-left challenger Analilia Mejia, an outspoken critic of Israel.

Meanwhile, Biss is also facing online attacks from the far left for accepting donations from J Street supporters.

Evanston, Ill., Mayor Daniel Biss, a Democratic congressional candidate, on Monday defended his decision in 2024 to withhold police support requested by Northwestern University to clear an anti-Israel encampment on the school’s campus.

The lack of police support, according to internal communications released by the House Education and Workforce Committee last month as part of an inquiry to Biss, forced the university to reach an agreement with the encampment, lacking the necessary law enforcement personnel to disperse and arrest the encampment members. 

Jewish community members said the deal rewarded antisemitic behavior.

Biss, who is running for Congress in Illinois’ 11th Congressional District, asserted that the Evanston police department did not determine that the encampment posed a threat to students or the community, and that police officials had been concerned that forcibly clearing the encampment would worsen the situation.

“I did not, and would not, direct the Evanston Police Department to disperse a protest or arrest protesters against the advice of department leadership,” Biss wrote in a letter to Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), the chairman of the committee, on Monday. “Doing so would unnecessarily endanger officers, improperly suppress constitutionally protected speech, and substitute political judgement for the expertise of public safety professionals.”

Facing a federal investigation, Northwestern agreed to pay the Trump administration $75 million and cancel the agreement with the encampment participants.

Walberg also accused Biss of publicizing his refusal to provide police support as a means of burnishing his progressive political credentials. In his response letter, Biss denied this.

“Antisemitism is a dangerous and growing problem in our country and around the world, and one that I have taken seriously throughout my career,” Biss wrote. “In addition to its voluminous inquiries into universities, businesses, local municipalities, and other entities, I encourage the committee to also examine the rise of antisemitic rhetoric originating from within the federal government,” he continued, pointing to reported antisemitic comments by Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino

Biss said he would provide a briefing to the committee, as requested by Walberg, on his decisions surrounding the Northwestern encampment, at a time to be determined.

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), the chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, accused Evanston, Ill., Mayor Daniel Biss on Wednesday of blocking city police from assisting Northwestern University in responding to the 2024 anti-Israel encampment on the campus protesting the war in Gaza — against the school’s request.

Biss, who is running in a competitive race for an open Illinois House seat, pushed back, accusing Walberg of attempting to sabotage his primary campaign at the behest of AIPAC.

“I write with grave concern regarding your failure to protect Jewish students at Northwestern University by refusing to give the university the police support it desperately needed to clear its violent and antisemitic encampment in April 2024,” Walberg said in a letter to Biss. “Just recently you touted this failure in a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, describing the individuals at the encampment as ‘peaceful.’”

Walberg also released internal communications by top Northwestern officials, including former President Michael Schill, about their communications with Biss and efforts to clear the encampment and conduct arrests.

Schill indicated to colleagues that more police would be needed than the school had available to successfully clear the encampment, but the school had to halt plans to do so after Biss communicated to the school that his position on the situation would not change. 

Trustee Michael J. Sacks said in one message to Schill, “I know Biss well. If the winds blow in the wrong way he will throw you under the bus. No hesitation.”

Schill told other colleagues that Sacks and another trustee had said that Biss was untrustworthy and that Sacks had told him in a phone call that Biss was likely to publicize his refusal to provide police support “to shore up his progressive credentials.”

Northwestern, which is located in Evanston, ultimately signed a deal with student leaders of the encampment, acceding to several of the demonstrators’ demands in exchange for ending the encampment.

Walberg further denounced Biss for criticizing an agreement between Northwestern and the federal government. He requested that Biss brief the committee “on, in your words, ‘local law-enforcement coordination’ when it comes to antisemitic activity on college campuses in Evanston.”

Biss fired back, accusing Walberg of doing the bidding of AIPAC, which has formally taken no position in his primary race.

“Rep. Walberg’s inquiry is nothing more than a baseless political attack fueled by his top political patron, AIPAC,” Biss said in a statement. “It’s no coincidence that Rep. Walberg’s letter arrived just eight days before the beginning of early voting in the March primary election. They’re playing cheap political games in service to AIPAC’s right wing agenda. It is shameful.”

Biss added in a separate statement on X, “Trump and his Republican allies are attacking me for defending free speech. Let’s be clear: the GOP is trying to criminalize dissent and pressure local officials to silence peaceful protest. I won’t let that happen in our communities.”

Evanston, Ill., Mayor Daniel Biss, who has expressed support for cutting off some military aid to Israel during his campaign for Congress in the Chicago suburbs, had expressed support for continued aid to Israel earlier in the campaign, according to a position paper Biss himself released Friday.

Biss released the position paper amid scrutiny of his relationship with and outreach to AIPAC and the group’s supporters in the Chicago area. Sources told Jewish Insider that Biss had sought out AIPAC’s support prior to formally launching his campaign, which Biss has repeatedly denied. Evanston Now, a local outlet, reported Friday that Biss had submitted a policy paper to AIPAC early in the campaign and communicated at multiple points with its representatives.

Evanston Now reported that, days after outreach from AIPAC to Biss in the late summer, he came out in support of a series of more hardline anti-Israel positions, including blocking offensive weapons.

Responding to the reports, Biss said Friday that he had met with local AIPAC representatives to lay out his positions, but that he does not share AIPAC’s views and met with the group in the interest of open communication and in hopes “they might decide not to direct [their] MAGA donors to support [his primary opponent, state Sen.] Laura Fine. Perhaps naively, I wanted to show them that, while we disagree on Israel and Palestine, I have family in Israel who I care about deeply, that I take the issue of antisemitism seriously, and that I can engage respectfully with people who have views that are very different from my own.”

Biss said that AIPAC had indicated it wanted to support him “if I was willing to parrot their views.” He went on to share what he said was the text of a position paper he had provided to AIPAC — which included views that do not diverge significantly from those of other AIPAC-backed candidates.

Most notably, the paper stated that Biss supports continued aid to Israel under the terms of the current U.S.-Israel memorandum of understanding, and that he would support another MOU in the future.

“Daniel recognizes the importance of the safety and security of a Jewish homeland in the State of Israel. As Israel’s closest friend and ally, the United States must always be committed to providing for Israel’s defense,” the paper reads. “As a member of Congress, Daniel will support continued aid to Israel in accordance with the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding, and looks forward to seeing a renewed, expanded Memorandum of Understanding in the coming years.”

The paper also notes, “Daniel believes all military aid to every nation must be compliant with U.S. law.”

Biss now supports efforts to impose an offensive weapons ban on Israel — a direct contradiction to the MOU — and the Block the Bombs Act, which critics characterize as effectively an arms embargo on Israel for many key systems.

In the paper, Biss also called for expanding funding for the Iron Dome missile-defense system and condemned the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, stating that he would continue to oppose it in Congress, “while also opposing efforts to criminalize free speech or political activity.”

He also called for a long-term “transition to fully autonomous Palestinian governance once agreed upon conditions are met.”

Biss now supports preemptive American recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Biss offers support in the paper for the United Nations and other existing humanitarian mechanisms in Gaza — though he does not specifically mention the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Though AIPAC has been critical of UNRWA, it has endorsed lawmakers who have supported the agency’s continued work.

“Daniel will also advocate for U.S. humanitarian assistance, delivered in partnership with civil society, established NGOs, and the United Nations to address the needs of the Palestinian people,” the paper reads.

In the paper, Biss also calls for diplomatic efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear program, making no mention of support for military action or other means to do so. AIPAC opposed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, though the group has endorsed and supported many Democratic lawmakers who voted for that deal.

Evanston, Ill., Mayor Daniel Biss, running in the state’s 9th Congressional District on a platform deeply critical of Israel, sought support from AIPAC before he announced his run for Congress last year, Jewish Insider has learned.

One source familiar with multiple candidates’ outreach to pro-Israel political organizations intending to mobilize in the state’s 2026 Democratic primaries told JI that Biss had reached out to AIPAC in the spring of last year, before Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) had announced her retirement, to solicit AIPAC’s support for a prospective congressional bid should Schakowsky retire.

Niles, Ill., Mayor George Alpogianis, who owns a popular neighborhood diner, told JI he began hearing from multiple visitors to the restaurant that Biss had begun putting feelers out to AIPAC about a run around April of last year, weeks before Schakowsky announced her retirement. 

Biss’ campaign denied having sought AIPAC’s support, alleging instead that the group had attempted to recruit him.

“Daniel has been clear that he has neither sought nor would accept AIPAC’s support in this race, and any suggestion that he ever solicited AIPAC’s backing is categorically false,” a Biss campaign spokesperson said. 

“In the interest of open communication, Daniel met with AIPAC representatives to clearly lay out his positions on Israel, the need for a two-state solution, the humanitarian disaster the Netanyahu government has inflicted on Gaza, combating antisemitism, and related issues. After those conversations, AIPAC moved from attempting to recruit Daniel as their preferred candidate to labeling him a ‘dangerous detractor’ and backing state Sen. Laura Fine.”

AIPAC has not announced any formal endorsement in the race.

“While Daniel will always remain open to dialogue with those who disagree with him, his positions are guided by principle and not political pressure. And unlike other candidates, Daniel does not need the support of AIPAC or other outside special interests to win this race,” the spokesperson continued.

AIPAC declined to comment.

Biss, who is Jewish, has taken positions starkly at odds with those advocated by AIPAC since entering the race, including calling to block all offensive weapons shipments to Israel, supporting the “Block the Bombs Act” and calling for the U.S. to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state.

He also wrote that, while he has deep familial connections to the state of Israel — his mother grew up in Israel, he spent significant time there and he had a cousin who served in the IDF after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks — “other families have stories that paint a dramatically different picture. The creation of the State of Israel in 1948 was itself a violent trauma for Palestinians. And I have also spent time in the West Bank, decades ago, witnessing first-hand the cruelty of the occupation — and the way, already then, that it warped Israeli attitudes.”

Biss additionally opposed Israeli and American strikes on Iran’s nuclear program during the 12-day war last June.

More recently, Biss signed a joint letter with several of the other candidates in the race alluding to and denouncing reported efforts by AIPAC to convince another candidate to drop out of the race. Opponents allege that AIPAC is quietly backing state Sen. Laura Fine in the race.

“Recent reports and conversations within our communities suggest that organized efforts are underway to pressure a fellow Democratic candidate to withdraw from the race,” the candidates wrote. “While vigorous persuasion and debate are part of politics, coordinated pressure campaigns aimed at forcing candidates out undermine the democratic process and erode trust among voters.”

Other candidates in the race, including influencer Kat Abugazaleh and Bushra Amiwala, an activist and a member of the Skokie Board of Education, have histories of anti-Israel activism and have staked out stances strongly hostile to Israel in the primary.

Biss is not the first Democratic candidate to shift his stance on Israel and AIPAC after failing to receive support from the group. JI reported in November that Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), running for Senate in Massachusetts, also sought AIPAC’s endorsement before launching his campaign with a focus on attacking the pro-Israel group. 

Biss and other Democratic candidates’ changed views on their support of Israel have come as the party base has grown increasingly hostile to the Jewish state in recent years. Under pressure from party activists, earlier this month, California state Sen. Scott Wiener, running to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), called Israel’s conduct of its war against Hamas a “genocide.”

A Northwestern University professor who supported the anti-Israel encampment on the Evanston, Ill., campus and is married to the founder of the university’s chapter of Educators for Justice in Palestine was tapped to join a new presidential search committee, the school announced last week.

Ian Hurd, a professor of political science and president of the faculty senate at Northwestern University, is listed on Northwestern’s website as an “expert on the Middle East.” As Faculty Senate president, Hurd has played an influential role in shaping faculty responses to campus protests, academic freedom disputes and university governance questions. 

During this period, faculty leadership — including the Senate — was widely criticized by Jewish students, parents and advocacy groups for failing to condemn antisemitic conduct, for blurring distinctions between political speech and discriminatory harassment and for prioritizing faculty and activist concerns over student safety and civil rights compliance.

The search committee is tasked with making a recommendation to the board of trustees for selecting the school’s next president. The search comes following President Michael Schill’s resignation in September, amid widespread controversy over the school’s handling of antisemitism during his tenure. 

During the anti-Israel encampment that overtook Northwestern’s campus in April 2024 — in which Jewish students were surrounded by mobs and told to “go back to Germany and get gassed” — Hurd signed an open letter with 171 faculty members backing the encampment.  

Schill was heavily scrutinized by Jewish leaders for overseeing the Deering Meadow agreement, a controversial pact made with anti-Israel encampment participants in the spring of 2024, that allowed students to protest the war in Gaza until the end of the school year so long as tents were removed, and encouraged employers not to rescind job offers for student protesters. The document also allowed students to weigh in on university investments — a major concession for students who had demanded the university divest from Israel. 

The Illinois private university agreed to end its commitment to the agreement last month as part of a $75 million settlement with the federal government to restore federal funding that was frozen earlier this year over allegations that administrators failed to address campus antisemitism.  

Hurd praised Schill’s capitulation to demonstrators in a May 2024 interview with the Daily Northwestern, saying he was “really proud of how NU handled the situation.” 

Hurd’s wife, Elizabeth Shankman Hurd, who is also a professor of political science at Northwestern, was among the founders of the NU chapter of Educators for Justice in Palestine, a faculty-staff network established in December 2023 aligned with NU Students for Justice in Palestine. Shankman Hurd signed the October 2023 faculty letter that downplayed the Hamas attacks in Israel and also helped circulate multiple faculty statements opposing Northwestern’s antisemitism task force, even as Jewish students reported harassment and exclusion from campus spaces.

Hurd’s appointment to the search committee drew criticism from some of the school’s Jewish alumni. “The antisemitic encampment at Northwestern occurred in April 2024, immediately before Ian Hurd was elevated into senior faculty leadership. At the time, Hurd was a leading figure in the Faculty Senate and publicly defended the administration’s response,” Michael Teplitsky, president of the Coalition Against Antisemitism at Northwestern and an alum of the school, told Jewish Insider. 

“That sequence is not incidental — it is disqualifying,” continued Teplitsky. “Northwestern is under federal civil rights scrutiny precisely because its leadership normalized antisemitic conduct and chose negotiation over enforcement. Elevating a faculty leader who publicly endorsed that approach into a gatekeeping role for selecting the next president signals continuity, not reform. It raises profound concerns about judgment, civil rights enforcement, and whether the university is capable of the governance reset that Jewish student safety and federal compliance now plainly require.”

Hurd “brings an obvious bias to this committee, likely put in there as the most respectable proxy for the anti-Zionist faculty cohort,” Rich Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern, told JI. 

“His decision to sign the faculty letter [in support of] the pro-Hamas encampment should be disqualifying. Now is certainly the time to double down on accountability for what Northwestern has agreed to, not pretend everything is rosy because of [the settlement with the Trump administration] and [former President Michael] Schill’s resignation,” said Goldberg. 

Hurd did not respond to a request for comment from JI on Monday.