Members of the board that governs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum urged Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to remove Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., from the museum's governing council.
They accused Sanders in an open letter of nearly two decades of absenteeism and of making statements that conflict with the institution's mission.
The letter, dated Jan. 13 and signed by 12 council members, said that Sanders has "rarely, if ever, attended Council meetings or participated meaningfully in the work of the Council since his appointment" in 2007.
The signers also cited Sanders' public comments on contemporary conflicts, saying some have been "widely viewed as inconsistent with the principles of Holocaust remembrance and genocide prevention that the Museum exists to uphold."
"There are two large meetings every year where people fly in from all over the country for it. But Bernie Sanders couldn't be bothered to walk across the road in D.C.," said Robert Garson, a council member who spoke in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the museum.
"Eighteen is a good number in Judaism, but not in this case," said Jonathan Burkan, another council member.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Council serves as the museum's board of trustees and has overall governance responsibility for the museum, including policy guidance, strategic direction, and oversight of operations.
The council includes presidential appointees as well as members appointed by congressional leadership, including Senate-selected representatives.
In their letter, the signers argued that the council's statutory mission requires active participation and alignment with its purposes, pointing to a rise in antisemitism and what they described as increasing Holocaust distortion.
They asked Schumer to "consider initiating the process for removal and/or replacement of Senator Sanders" as one of the Senate's appointees.
According to The New York Post and Jewish Insider, museum-provided attendance records show Sanders has missed every council meeting since his appointment. The council typically holds two large meetings a year.
Sanders' office did not respond to a request for comment.
The dispute arrived amid heightened political scrutiny of the museum's governing body. In April, President Donald Trump removed several Biden-era appointees from the council, including former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, prompting criticism from some Jewish and civic groups that Holocaust remembrance should remain nonpartisan.
Days later, the museum issued a statement welcoming Trump's new council appointments, including Burkan and Garson.
The council's leadership and membership have drawn increased attention as the museum faces growing demand for Holocaust education and as public debates intensify over the use of Holocaust analogies and genocide terminology in modern conflicts.
In their letter, the signers framed their request as an effort to ensure Senate-appointed representatives are "fully engaged and steadfastly supportive" of the museum's mission.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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