Ella Emhoff, the stepdaughter of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, has drawn criticism for her involvement in a fundraiser for Gaza's children, drawing a sharp rebuke from Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew.
The New York Post reported that Emhoff, who is not Jewish and is the daughter of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff from a previous marriage, shared a fundraising link from the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund to her 315,000 Instagram followers. The campaign has since collected close to $8 million.
The fundraiser's focus on Gaza, without a mention of Israeli children killed in the conflict, was met with concern by Van Drew, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. He expressed his alarm, stating, "It's of tremendous concern and I find it abhorrent. To be honest with you, I am kind of stunned by it. It's disturbing to the maximum degree."
He also conveyed apprehension that the funds could potentially be diverted by Hamas.
NEW: Vice President Kamala Harris' stepdaughter Ella Emhoff is helping raise money for a Gaza fundraiser that could end up in the hands of Hamas.
Not surprising considering her step-mom is one of the most incompetent people in Washington DC.
Emhoff has helped raise a whopping… pic.twitter.com/st26YIvePa — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 4, 2023
This controversy arises amidst a tense backdrop of Middle Eastern politics and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Doug Emhoff and VP Harris have publicly expressed their support for Israel, highlighting the complexity of the situation given Ella Emhoff's stepmother's political role and the recent U.S. decision to send $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. Critics, including high-profile Republicans, have sharply opposed this aid initiative.
Ella Emhoff has maintained a distance from her stepfather's Jewish heritage, with a representative stating to The Forward, "Ella is not Jewish. It's not something she grew up with. Ella truly has no qualms with the faith, but she does not want to speak on behalf of Judaism, as she does not celebrate herself."
Amid the backlash, the fundraiser link was removed from her Instagram account. The Emhoff family has not commented on the issue following the Post's request.
