Illinois lawyer fired from comptroller's office after antisemitic tirade

An Illinois attorney has been fired from the state’s comptroller’s office after social media messages surfaced showing the woman going on an antisemitic tirade.

A spokesperson for Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza told Reuters that legal counsel Sarah Chowdhury was "immediately fired" after the office became aware of the Instagram messages, and that Chowdhury had "admitted to at least some of the posts."

The spokesperson said, "Comptroller Mendoza has zero tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech."

Chowdhury was also terminated from her position as president of the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago on Thursday, with the bar group stating, "We are deeply saddened and horrified by her words and their impact on our friends, families, and colleagues, and apologize for any harm they may have caused."

The tirade came in a message conversation between Chowdhury and an account by the name of Big Law Boiz.

A screenshot of the conversation shows Chowdhury saying "Vermin should have all been killed decades ago," "Hopefully someone sends you anthrax or poison and you die a slow terrible death," and "Hitler should have eradicated all of you."

Big Law Boiz, who declined to give Reuters a real name, said that the messages from Chowdhury began over posts made on the account regarding the media coverage of the war that has unfolded between Israel and Hamas.

In an Instagram story post, Big Law Boiz said "I am a Jew with Israeli family," also adding, "heck, I am supportive of the cause of the Palestinian people to obtain an independent state."

"The people on the other side of the phonescreen are human - fallible and subject to their own bias. Try to find humanity with others and talk before you resort to brutal tribalism."