Hasan Piker, the controversial far-left Twitch streamer whose profile has grown inside Democratic political circles, is drawing criticism from Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., after comments he made about American Jews and support for Israel. Scholten described the remarks as “talk of violence” aimed at Jewish Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss.
In a statement released Monday, Scholten sharply condemned Piker, calling him “a hack who thrives on hate, shock and awe because he lacks substance.”
“Hasan Piker’s talk of violence against American Jews, and directly naming a Michigan elected official, and future member of Congress, Jeremy Moss, is unacceptable. Full stop,” Scholten said in the statement. “We should all be calling out this disgusting rhetoric so it loses its grip on our politics once and for all. It has no place in Michigan, and no place in our country.”
Piker fired back at Scholten, referring to the Michigan Democrat as an “Israel 1st congresswoman.”
“if i was an israel 1st congresswoman with a possible cheating scandal with a republican in the state, i wouldn’t spend so much time vying for the spotlight by actively defaming a prominent antizionist voice to harm the dem senate majority chances over a 90/10 issue,” Piker wrote on X.
Piker, who commands a large audience across social media, has played a visible role in Michigan politics during this election cycle. He supported Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in a primary earlier this month. El-Sayed faced scrutiny during the campaign for appearing alongside Piker, with critics arguing that the streamer’s political rhetoric was too extreme.
Scholten endorsed Stevens last month, describing her as a “smart, capable, and common-sense leader.” She also praised Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after Whitmer threw her support behind Stevens.
El-Sayed also addressed Piker’s remarks. While he stopped short of directly condemning the streamer, he spoke out against antisemitism and denounced rhetoric that could endanger the Jewish community.
“I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past,” El-Sayed wrote.
“My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters,” he added. “Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk.”
In his statement, El-Sayed stressed that Piker did not speak for his campaign, writing that, “nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.”
In addition to politicians, Piker was also criticized by Jewish organizations.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Jewish Federation of Detroit said that “Hasan Piker’s talk of violence against Jewish Americans while displaying a picture of a Michigan lawmaker who is Jewish is repugnant and antisemitic.”
“We call on all responsible leaders to condemn this extremist, attention-seeking conduct which divides Americans, foments hate, and makes our Jewish community less safe,” the Jewish Federation of Detroit’s statement read.
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) also said on Monday that by using an image of Moss, “Piker put a target on the backs of Sen. Moss, Jewish candidates and officeholders, and American Jews alike.”
“Blaming Jews for the antisemitism directed at them is itself antisemitism,” AJC wrote on X. “Every public official who has shared his platform now has a choice: denounce this and walk away, or be complicit. There is no third option.”
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt weighed in as well, questioning whether elected officials who associate with Piker really watch his streams or if “they just see his reach and ignore the rampant antisemitism.”
“The Jewsplaining is extraordinary: Piker appoints himself an authority on antisemitism, lecturing Jews about what is and isn’t antisemitic while blaming the Jewish community for the hatred directed against it,” Greenblatt said of Piker.
During his Aug. 20 stream, Piker seemed to warn American Jews against supporting Israel, saying that doing so could lead to violence against them.
“People don’t f— with Israel any longer. And if Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they’re singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone will come around and take action not against Israel, mind you, but against American Jews,” Piker said.
When he made the comment, Piker had an image of Moss, who is running to fill Stevens’ seat, in his background.
Piker’s remarks came amid a controversy over an audio clip circulating online in which Moss purportedly said that the “entire purpose” of his congressional campaign was to ensure America’s continued support for Israel.
However, the Michigan Democrat said that the clip was fabricated, calling it “a manipulated and unsourced audio, with things I never did and never would say.”
“We are in a dangerous era of disinformation. Circulating a lie because it affirms your bias or belief is equally bad whether it comes from the left or the right. We all have a choice not to spread fabricated images, videos, and audio about candidates and campaigns. We all have a role in stopping the erosion of our democracy,” Moss said about the controversy over the audio clip.
Fox News Digital reached out to Piker and Moss for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
