Sam Husseini, communications director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, disrupted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s anti-corruption announcement Thursday morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., challenging the New York Democrat over his support for Israel’s war in Gaza.
Schumer on Thursday, July 30, unveiled legislation to create a powerful new Anti-Corruption Bureau, saying Americans should have their “day in court” if President Donald Trump or his allies profit from government power.
The event was hosted by Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer rights advocacy organization.
Schumer was just getting started with his speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to make a “major anti-corruption announcement,” when an audience member seated in the front row tore into the Senate’s top Democrat.
“You talk about corruption, how can you talk about corruption when you back genocide? What can be more corrupt than genocide? This is part of the same con of you and Trump playing off of each other,” the protester said.
Schumer tried to regain control of the moment and told the audience member, “Thank you for your diatribe. Now let’s continue. Let’s continue.”
But he wasn’t successful.
“You should be questioned about your diabolical record,” the audience member said. “It’s amazing that you can show your genocidal face in public.”
The protester continued his volleys as security moved to remove him from the packed auditorium.
“Mr. Senator. Mr. Senator. Shame on Public Citizen for not allowing questions to this genocidal maniac,” he said as he was escorted out.
The disruptor noted that Schumer and other congressional Democrats were “put on notice” by the Center for Constitutional Rights in 2023 for “aiding and abetting” Israel in its war against Hamas.
Schumer has been a vocal supporter of Israel, voting to send aid and weaponry to the country during the conflict.
Over the last several months, Senate Democrats have broken from him on a handful of occasions, and in growing numbers. Earlier this year, Senate Democrats showed their slow creep away from Israel following the release of photos of starving children in Gaza.
Following the disruption, political figures on social media began reacting to the confrontation.
One prominent voice, stating “It’s fortifying to see someone still reacting to the genocide with the anger and outrage that the tragedy deserves. Respect to @samhusseini, whom I was honored to meet in person at last weekend’s @GreenPartyUS meeting.”
The same commenter wrote, “The only courage I have ever seen at an event when a politician like Schumer is speaking is when a person of conscience stands up and calls them out for their clear complicity in genocide.”
They added, “It’s the fact that none of the other journalists joined in support of Sam that is truly horrifying.”
Husseini was formerly at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and at the media watch group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. He has written articles for a variety of publications, including CounterPunch, The Nation, the Washington Post, USA Today and Salon.
In the viral moment captured on video and quickly circulating on social media, Husseini had confronted Schumer over what he views as the senator’s complicity in Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The exchange lasted several minutes, with Husseini repeatedly making statements about genocide before being escorted from the venue by security personnel.
Despite the disruption, Schumer did get his point across: to announce the push for legislation to create a new anti-corruption agency. “This bill is the biggest, boldest and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions,” Schumer said.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau Creation Act would allow individuals to file claims to recover money stolen from the public through government corruption and establish an independent bureau to enforce anti-corruption laws. Schumer cast the proposal as a response to alleged ethics abuses while insisting it would apply to future presidents as well.
“The idea is simple, if Donald Trump or one of his lackey sons or cronies uses government influence to steal from you, you deserve your day in court,” Schumer said during the presentation of the bill.
The new agency would have subpoena power and could investigate the Trump administration even once Trump leaves office.