Menendez Seeks Justice Dept. Investigation Of Teen's Nazi Tweets

The Asbury Park Press is reporting that New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to look into anti-Semitic tweets made by Ocean County teens, some of which suggested violence against Orthodox Jews in Lakewood.

The tweets by the teens, first brought to light by a Twitter user by the name of @MaleiRikud, included several by one girl whose father is a sergeant in the New Jersey State Police, the Press reported. Her tweets included photos of her wearing swastikas and a mustache like Adolf Hitler and giving a Nazi salute. One photo she posted was of an Italian ice shop, which she captioned “perfect bombing time.”

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office did not file charges against the teens; prosecutor’s office spokesman Al Della Fave told the Press they found the tweets did not pose a credible threat.

The Press report linked a report on the Orthodox news site Voz Iz Neias? that said Menendez was shown the tweets during a meeting with Agudath Israel, an Orthodox advocacy organization.

“I don’t believe that those are harmless,” Menendez said of the tweets, according to the video. “I’d be happy to talk to the Justice Department and see what would be the appropriate division that can look into it.”

Della Fave told the Press the prosecutor’s office welcomes “any and all scrutiny” of how it handled its investigation. He has said the office determined that the teens’ parents and school administrators were best-positioned to mete out punishment.