DOJ Antisemitism Chief Calls Abuse Claims ‘False and Ridiculous’

Antisemitism Task Force boss Leo Terrell is shutting down allegations that he targeted Jewish interns at the Department of Justice.

An exposé published Wednesday by The Harvard Crimson accused Terrell, a civil rights attorney and chair of the DOJ’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, of threatening interns both physically and professionally, including allegedly threatening to choke one intern with a computer charger.

In an email to Los Angeles, the DOJ provided Terrell’s responses to the allegations detailed in the Harvard Crimson investigation.

Tejas S. Billa, a former editor at The Harvard Crimson who interned for Terrell’s task force, told the university newspaper that Terrell frequently threatened interns. Billa said Terrell accused him of stealing government property after he took notes home from the office, despite allegedly encouraging interns to take work home. Billa also alleged that after he forgot a DOJ-provided computer charger, Terrell accused him of lying and threatened to choke him with it.

Terrell called the accusations “false and ridiculous.” He said he had informed all interns that documents were not to be removed from the building. He also denied making the choking threat, one of the most striking allegations in the Harvard Crimson investigation.

“I simply told Tejas that the charger is government property and he must bring it to work,” Terrell said.

Three additional interns spoke to The Harvard Crimson, describing what they characterized as inappropriate behavior toward female employees. The interns, who requested anonymity, alleged that Terrell said he preferred working with female employees, discussed personal relationships privately with a female intern and once looked an intern “up and down” before calling her “Miss Cheerleader.”

Terrell denied the characterization of his behavior, saying he had expressed a preference for working alongside the “best, most qualified individuals.” He noted that he hired two male and two female interns for his task force.

Regarding the conversation about a personal relationship, Terrell said the intern had approached him in tears and that he told her “not to worry.” He said she thanked him in response.

As for the “Miss Cheerleader” remark, Terrell offered a sartorial explanation.

“The intern was wearing a striped sweater that looked like a cheerleading uniform,” he said.

Terrell added that the intern was later invited to dinner with other interns, emphasizing that he did not — and would never — take an individual intern out to dinner. He also noted that the intern later requested a recommendation from him.

Credit: The Department of Justice

Additionally, a female intern accused Terrell of having her fly out for a leg of the tour, which she paid $1,200 out-of-pocket for and was never reimbursed. Terrell, however, provided a text message in which the intern asks to attend, also looking to make the trip a visit to see her sister. 

Credit: Department of Justice

Another anonymous intern alleged that “Jew-hater” was Terrell’s favorite insult and that he accused Vice President JD Vance of surrounding himself with “Jew-Haters.” According to the intern, Terrell directed the insult at Education Secretary Linda E. McMahon, his former boss Harmeet Dhillon and Miriam Adelson, a pro-Israel philanthropist who donated to President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Terrell denied making the comments about Vance, praising the vice president’s record on antisemitism.

“Vice President Vance has been a staunch ally of the Jewish community and has been nothing but supportive of our efforts to combat antisemitism,” Terrell said. “Anyone claiming I’ve said anything to the contrary is spreading lies. He is an extraordinary Vice President and the country is fortunate to have him standing by the side of the greatest president of all time, Donald J. Trump.”

Terrell said he had used the term “Jew-hater” only in reference to conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson. He added that he had told his staff he disagreed with anyone who aligned themselves with Carlson.

The interns who worked on Terrell’s task force have since moved on, leaving him with just one intern on his staff, according to the report. While The Harvard Crimson linked the departures to allegations of mistreatment, Terrell and the DOJ said the interns had been hired to work on the 15-City National Awareness & Action Tour, a project the newspaper characterized as a failure, having only held one date on Oct. 14, thus far.

The DOJ said the project the interns were assigned to has concluded, leading to the interns’ departure from their positions.

The Justice Department told Los Angeles that evidence showed some allegations against Terrell were factually inaccurate, while other concerns remain under review.

“While some of the intern allegations are factually inaccurate based on evidence provided to the Harvard Crimson, any concerning conduct that was flagged for Department officials is currently under review,” a DOJ spokesperson said. “We cannot discuss any ongoing investigations into personnel, but we hold all employees to the highest standard of professional conduct.”

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