Sanders is an ineffective politician. He’s always making the wrong decisions.
And Bernie Sanders was caught red handed putting these allies out to dry.
For 18 years, Sen. Bernie Sanders has held a spot on the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s board, but he’s never once shown up to a meeting. This revelation has ignited a firestorm, leading to a rare bipartisan effort to boot him from the position, as uncovered by the New York Post.
Sanders, the independent from Vermont who pushed democratic socialism into the spotlight through his 2016 and 2020 presidential runs, got appointed to the Holocaust Memorial Council back in 2007. The board gathers twice annually to guide the iconic Washington, D.C. museum, just a short trek from the Capitol.
But according to documents handed over to the New York Post by museum officials, Sanders has skipped every single session since day one. His absence hasn’t gone unnoticed, and now it’s fueling demands for change.
“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 DC,” stated board member Robert Garson.
“18 is a good number in Judaism, but not in this case,” said Jonathan Burkan, another fellow board member.
The council, set up by Congress in 1980, boasts 55 members picked by the president for five-year terms, plus 10 more from House and Senate leaders—five from each side. It’s a key group tasked with preserving the memory of one of history’s greatest tragedies.
Garson and Burkan, both tapped by President Trump, joined about a dozen others in signing a letter to Senator Chuck Schumer, urging him to swap out Sanders. They pointed to his zero attendance and his harsh words claiming Israel is guilty of g*nocide in Gaza.
“In the current context, with Jew hatred and Holocaust distortion rising globally, it is imperative that Senate-appointed representatives on the Council are fully engaged and steadfastly supportive of its mission,” the letter states.
The group took issue with Sanders’ “public statements regarding contemporary g*nocidal conflicts” and highlighted how he “has rarely, if ever, attended Council meetings.”
“This is not a partisan issue, just common sense,” stated Alex Heckler, a veteran Democratic activist and fundraiser put on the board by President Biden.
“[Sanders’] beliefs and public statements do not reflect the stated mission of the museum. Also, he has never attended a meeting in the years I have been on the Council.”
“Why take someone’s place who will show up? I just don’t understand it,” stated Jimmy Resnick, a board member who was appointed by President Trump.
“He doesn’t care. It’s like a non-existent position.”
Resnick noted that other Democrats have made the effort, like Susan Rice and Doug Emhoff.
It’s puzzling why Sanders hasn’t stepped up to shape the museum’s education on the Holocaust.
As one of 10 Jewish senators, Sanders has no shortage of potential replacements, critics argue. The museum stands as a vital hub for Jewish-American heritage in the capital, even if it doesn’t set policy.
This saga exposes a disconnect in Washington, where symbolic posts get handed out without accountability, especially when they touch on sacred ground like Holocaust remembrance.
Amid surging antisemitism, the push to replace Sanders highlights a demand for leaders who actually lead, not just occupy space.
