Gov. Andy Beshear announced the creation of the task force during his weekly press briefing, saying hate has no place in the commonwealth.
The majority of the 18-member task force will be Jewish but other faiths will be represented – and Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers will serve as an ex officio member. Former State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, also on the task force, said in a recorded message that he felt his Jewish faith was accepted and embraced during his time in office but that trust is eroding.
"Unfortunately today we've entered an era of rising antisemitism," the former official said. "We've seen it with hate-filled screeds on social media and bomb threats being called int to our local synagogues. It's a scary time to be Jewish, particularly when you have kids or grandkids who are most affected."
The role of the task force will be to help guide the administration by conducting a comprehensive review of the state of antisemitism in Kentucky along with antisemitism and Holocaust education in the state. It will also advise on training programs for law enforcement relating to hate crimes.
Beshear said the purpose is to make sure the state “gets it right” when it comes to identifying and rooting out hate in all its forms.
