Summer Lee says she condemns ‘all forms of hate’ while defending controversial decision to appear with Hasan Piker

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee is getting heat for a planned campaign appearance alongside Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, a political commentator who’s been accused of antisemitism and anti-American sentiment on multiple occasions. 

Lee, a progressive Democrat who represents part of the Pittsburgh region – including Squirrel Hill, seen by many as the center of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community – was scheduled to appear alongside Piker at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan on Tuesday at rallies for U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. 

Piker, a streamer and political commentator, has been in the spotlight recently for his previous comments regarding Hamas, the Oct. 7 attacks, 9/11 and more. His more inflammatory comments include saying that “America deserved 9/11,” responding to one of his listeners who condemned the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, with “Bloodthirsty violent pig dog, suck my dick,” and also said “It doesn’t matter if rape happened on October 7th. It doesn’t change the dynamic for me.”

Amid the controversy, Democratic officials have found themselves on the back foot, trying to explain why they are agreeing to make appearances with him – and Lee is no exception. 

Backlash to her announcement was swift. In a joint statement released Monday, state Rep. Dan Frankel and state Sen. Judy Schwank, both Democrats and co-chairs of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, said they were “deeply alarmed” by the move, saying Piker is a “commentator who has repeatedly trafficked in antisemitic statements.”

“At a time when Jewish communities are facing rising threats and harassment, public officials have an obligation to be unequivocal about the voices they elevate and the company they keep,” the statement read. “Dehumanizing language creates an environment where hatred is emboldened and violence becomes more likely.”

Lee responded in an email Tuesday afternoon, stating that she’s focused on reaching young people and bringing more of them into the democratic process. 

“At a moment when Donald Trump is threatening catastrophic violence against Iran and saying ‘a whole civilization will die tonight,’ our priorities are deeply out of step if this is what some choose to focus on,” Lee said in a statement to City & State. “We need to invite young people in, take them seriously, and recognize that our politics are strongest when everyday people have a real hand in shaping them. 

“I’m going to continue showing up to speak with young people about the issues defining their lives and futures, and I will continue to be unequivocal in condemning Islamophobia, racism, antisemitism and all forms of hate. If reporters have questions about Hasan Piker’s statements, they should ask Hasan Piker. I’m focused on reaching young people and bringing more people into a democratic process that too often pushes them away.”

Lee has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian civilians and had repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the conflict following the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. She’s also received criticism for accepting campaign donations from pro-Palestinian activists who have been accused of making antisemitic remarks about Israel. Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick even called for her resignation from Congress in 2024 when Lee found herself in a similar situation. 

Prior to the 2024 event, Lee bowed out of a speaking engagement with a Muslim group after intense backlash about other speakers’ antisemitic and homophobic comments. The event was held for the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a national Muslim group. 

Frankel and Schwank’s statement expressed hope that Lee would do the same this time around. 

“Two years ago, Rep. Lee agreed to withdraw from a fundraising event that would have placed her on a stage with speakers known for extremist and antisemitic rhetoric,” the statement said. “It is not too late to make that same choice again, refusing to legitimize intolerance.”