(NTD)—Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has temporarily suspended a member of the state’s new commission aimed at addressing hate crimes after she posted anti-semitic messages on her personal social media accounts.
In a written statement on Nov. 21, Mr. Brown announced that his office recently learned that Zainab Chaudry made anti-Israel comments in the weeks following the Hamas terrorist group’s cross-border attack on Oct. 7, further pointing out that Ms. Chaudry’s social media posts have “challenged the commission’s ability to do its work.”
“Personal postings that could be reasonably perceived as hate speech may disrupt the ability of the Commission to accomplish its important work,” Mr. Brown said.
Ms. Chaudry, the state director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), was nominated in August to the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention.
The task force, which is required to include a representative of CAIR along with other advocacy organizations, was created by state lawmakers during a legislative session earlier this year.
Its goal is to advance a long-term mechanism to address hate crimes by evaluating laws and policies and developing strategies aimed at addressing the crimes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Mr. Brown has the authority to appoint its members as chair of the commission.
“The Commission must serve as a model for the entire State on how to respond to incidents of hate and bias,” Mr. Brown said in the written statement, noting the task force is now “facing its first test” and how it responds will have “deep implications.”
“I take this very seriously,” he added. “I will do everything possible to bring people together to move forward the critical work of this Commission.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Brown said he assigned staff to draft a “values statement”—which will be taken up for discussion at the next meeting—about personal communications and called on the commission to “carefully balance their right to free speech with their role as a commission member.”
‘Fake Israeli Babies’
Ms. Chaudry, an American-Muslim political activist, has posted numerous images of Palestinian victims on Facebook since Israel declared war on Hamas after the terrorist group carried out its surprise attack from Gaza and fired thousands of rockets toward Israel.
In a post on Oct. 17, she compared Israel’s military campaign in Gaza against Hamas to Nazi Germany by sharing two photos of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. In one photo, the 18th-century monument is lit up with the Israeli flag after Hamas’s attack, while the other photo is from 1936 when the building was decorated with a Nazi flag.
“That moment when you become what you hated most,” she wrote alongside the photo collage.
In another post, dated Oct. 27, Ms. Chaudry said: “I will never be able to understand how the world summoned up rage for 40 fake Israeli babies while completely turning a blind eye to … real Palestinian babies.”
Mendy Haviv, a commander of the non-governmental rescue and recovery organization ZAKA, told Epoch Israel last month that decapitated children were among the many victims of Hamas’s attack.
“Do you want me to tell you about the hardest sights? Bodies of babies tied up,” Mr. Haviv recalled. “Burnt bodies, burnt houses everywhere. Decapitated heads of children of several ages. The smell of rotting corpses [is so bad] that you can’t even breathe,” he added.
Israel, meanwhile, also released pictures of babies murdered and burned by Hamas terrorists, which has been confirmed by the White House.
In other posts, Ms. Chaudry called for an immediate ceasefire and claimed Israel is committing war crimes by indiscriminately attacking civilians, saying: “This isn’t a war. This is genocide.”
Speaking to WTOP News after learning about the suspension, Ms. Chaudry defended her posts and called the commission’s decision “deeply troubling,” explaining she believes it infringes on her First Amendment rights.
“These comments were made in my own personal capacity. And they were in no shape, way or form designed to invite hate,” Ms. Chaudry said, noting she feels the posts have been taken out of context.
“I stand by the context with which these posts were shared,” she said.
Jennifer Donelan, a spokesperson for Mr. Brown’s office, told Fox News Digital that “the views and opinions of any individual Commission member do not reflect those of either the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention or the Attorney General.”
Ms. Chaudry joins a growing list of Americans facing repercussions for their comments about the Israel-Hamas war, the fallout from which has spilled into workplaces and educational institutions everywhere, including in politics, the corporate world, and on college campuses across the country.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.