New York, NY, February 5, 2019 …

ADL welcomed today’s announcement that Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Elan Carr has been selected to serve as the next U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. Carr, who has deep experience prosecuting hate crimes, murders and criminal street gang activity, is a well-known and active member of the local Jewish community, and a son of Jewish refugees who speaks Hebrew and Arabic.

ADL has consistently urged the Trump Administration to fill this position in a timely manner, which sat vacant for over two years at a time of rising anti-Semitic incidents in many countries around the world.

Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director, issued the following statement:

“We enthusiastically welcome Elan Carr’s appointment by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to serve as the next U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. In an environment of rising anti-Semitism worldwide, this role is critical, and his appointment fills a crucial gap in the Administration. Carr knows all too well the scourge of hate. His grandfather was imprisoned after an anti-Semitic show trial in Iraq, where Elan later served as a U.S. Army judge advocate. He has been a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism on college campuses and has long advocated for working across the aisle to craft thoughtful compromises, including in support of Israel. Carr’s work has also shown a deep-seated commitment to the rule of law. He worked to train judges and try suspected insurgents in Iraq, helped set up the first public defender’s office in Israel, and, most recently, has been a longtime public prosecutor in Los Angeles. We deeply admire his public service and look forward to working with him in his new role.”

ADL actively and repeatedly has called on the Trump Administration to fill this position. Its advocacy has included numerous direct meetings,petitions signed by thousands of Americans, letters signed by faith leaders and community groups, and mobilizing a coalition of over 70 national and local organizations to lobby Congress in support of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act. The House passed this important bill several weeks ago by a vote of 411 to 1. This Act would help make up for the lost time when this position was vacant by better empowering it.

ADL urges the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and full Senate to take swift action on this bill, and we urge the Administration to appropriately fund and empower the Office of the Special Envoy to ensure it is equipped for success.