Facing fierce backlash over his recent statement that Israel’s war in Gaza constituted genocide, state Sen. Scott Wiener is stepping down as co-chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus.
The San Francisco Democrat will leave the post effective Feb. 15, he said in a statement sent to J. on Thursday morning. He will remain part of the 18-member caucus, which serves as a legislative resource for and advocates on behalf of the Jewish community.
Wiener was elected vice chair of the caucus in 2020 and then co-chair alongside Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) in 2023.
“Last fall, with a demanding congressional campaign looming, I suggested stepping down but was asked to stay to provide continuity of leadership during a difficult time for the Jewish community,” Wiener said in the statement. “Now, my campaign is accelerating, and my recent statements on Israel and Gaza have led to significant controversy in the Jewish community. The time to transition has arrived.”
Wiener, who describes himself as a Zionist and vocal critic of the Netanyahu government in Israel, had never previously used “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in the Israel-Hamas war. At times, he had referred to Israel’s military operations as “a moral stain” and a “shanda.”
On Jan. 11, Wiener posted a 90-second video to social media in which he publicly and for the first time used the word “genocide” — a “painful” decision, he told J.
The backlash from mainstream Jewish organizations was swift. The Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area released a joint statement calling Wiener’s position “incorrect” and lacking in “moral clarity.” The statement was co-signed by other close allies and supporters of Wiener’s: the American Jewish Committee, S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services Holocaust Center, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California and SF Jews in School.
In the days that followed, letter-writing campaigns and petitions circulated online, calling for Wiener to resign from his leadership role in the caucus and demanding that the caucus take a stand.
“It’s been a challenging and complicated two weeks for the caucus,” Gabriel told J. on Thursday. “I think it’s important for people to understand that Sen. Wiener made this statement in his capacity as a candidate for Congress in San Francisco, and not as chair of the caucus, and that there are many of our members that disagree with him, many who vehemently disagree with him on the issue.”
Gabriel said he believes Wiener chose correctly in stepping down.
“Ultimately, I think he made the right decision,” Gabriel said.
Wiener’s exit from his role as co-chair of the caucus had been discussed, Gabriel said, as Wiener began actively campaigning to fill Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat when she retires at the end of the year.
Gabriel said he will continue to chair the caucus and lead it alongside vice chairs Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) and Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay).
In his statement, Wiener said he’s had numerous discussions about his decision to use the word “genocide.”
“Since I stated my view that the Netanyahu government committed a genocide in Gaza, I have had many in-depth conversations with members of the Jewish community with a range of perspectives,” Wiener said. “While many in the community strongly disagree with my view, I am grateful for their willingness to engage with me and hear my perspective, showing once again the deep respect for difference in our community.”
Over his years serving in Jewish caucus leadership, Wiener said he has particularly been proud of expanding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, providing additional resources to aging Holocaust survivors, supporting Jewish K-12 and college students, assisting the community in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel and “earning California the nation’s top ranking for combatting antisemitism.”