26 | FEBRUARY 29 • 2024 
J
N

P

ublic officials are subject to con-
stant scrutiny today — every 
action and word, however casual, 
can be captured on a cell phone and post-
ed on many platforms, sometime with 
misleading descriptions. Often policy issue 
differences are transformed into person-
al attacks and family members may be 
caught in the crossfire. 
Despite these challenges, some individu-
als still believe that public service is worth 
it — hoping to make a difference and have 
a positive impact. 
Dana Nessel, 54, Michigan’s first Jewish 
Attorney General, who is a Democrat, ran 
for the Attorney General’s position in 2018 
because “I saw things in government that 
I wanted to change. It was the most mean-
ingful position I could run for.
”
Soon after that election, she spoke at a 
fundraiser for the Michigan Democratic 
Jewish Caucus. Nessel, who is Michigan’s 
first openly gay elected state official, said 
that she anticipated some negative feed-
back as a gay woman but was surprised 
that antisemitic attacks were more com-
mon. 
Antisemitism took a more ominous turn 
last year when a Michigan man threatened 

“to punish or kill” Jewish public officials 
in Michigan. The man, who owned several 
guns, was in Texas when he issued the 
threats on social media. He was charged 
by federal authorities and is in jail pending 
his trial.
“It’s a scary time for Jews worldwide,
” 
Nessel says. An executive protection unit 
was established for the Department of 
Attorney General in 2019 and security 
staff members are assigned to her. Nessel 
attributes the increase in antisemitism in 
part to social media such as Reddit and 
Truth Social, which provide “a place to 
gather and recruit” and platforms such 
as X, owned by Elon Musk, which have 
allowed antisemitism to thrive. “It is like 
an infection that grants widespread per-
mission to others,
” Nessel says.

FIGHTING HATE CRIMES
In 2019, she established a Hate Crimes and 
Domestic Terrorism Unit (originally des-
ignated the Hate Crimes Unit) which has 
investigated and prosecuted individuals for 
threats and vandalism against a range of 
government officials and other individuals, 
some targeted because of their religion, 
gender identity or race. The work of the 

Michigan’s fi
 rst Jewish 
attorney general 
focuses on protecting 
consumers and 
fi
 ghting hate crimes.

Focused 
on Serving 
Michigan 
Citizens

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

OUR COMMUNITY

The Role of Michigan’s 
Attorney General 

The attorney general, an elected 
position, is the top lawyer within 
state government. When public legal 
matters arise, the Attorney General’s 
office renders opinions on matters of 
law and provides legal counsel for 
the state legislature, all branches of 
state government and boards of state 
government. The department of the 
Attorney General has three bureaus: 
Criminal Justice, Environmental and 
Government Operations, and Consumer 
and Regulatory Enforcement. 
The Attorney General may also 
intervene in cases that cross multiple 
jurisdictions within the state. In addition, 
the Michigan Attorney General may join 
with counterparts in other states. One 
example is the multi-state settlement of 
claims against the makers of OxyContin 
and other painkillers that led to 
widespread addiction and deaths across 
the country. 

Source: Michigan.gov

Dana 
Nessel

PHOTOS BY LARRY LIPTON