Controversial YouTuber Rachel, known as Rachel Griffin Accurso, has donated $3,500 to liberal candidates supported by Zoran Mamdani, who successfully ousted Establishment Democrats in recent primaries. Party leaders have acknowledged that their actions were driven by anti-Israel sentiments.
Before the primary election on June 23, Rachel contributed to House candidates Dalia Lisa Avila Chevalier and Brad Lander.
Her husband, Aaron Accurso, who serves as a music director for “Songs for Littles,” also made a donation of $1,500 to Chevalier.
Both Chevalier and Lander managed to defeat pro-Israel incumbents Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman.
With over 20 million followers on YouTube and more than 5 million on Instagram, the social media figure is sometimes likened to a modern-day “Mister Rogers.”
Mr. Accurso is a vocal critic of Israel, accusing it of “genocide” against Palestinians and claiming thousands of children in Gaza have been deliberately killed.
Chevalier and Lander are both strong opponents of Israel. Notably, Chevalier participated in a pro-Palestinian rally in Times Square a day after the Hamas attack on Israelis on October 7, 2023.
Accurso has noticeably increased her political involvement, especially regarding the Trump administration’s policies on migrant children in detention.
A pro-Israel activist highlighted that Accurso’s campaign against Israel reflects a troubling trend of rising hatred towards the Jewish state and increasing anti-Semitism. Dov Hikind, a former Brooklyn state representative and founder of Americans Against Anti-Semitism, remarked, “Hate against Jews is a real problem. It’s a tsunami. It’s vicious, virulent hatred against Jews. The bad guys are winning.”
During the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Accurso has shared multiple videos urging support for Palestinians in Gaza. In one Instagram video, she posed a rhetorical question about the attention towards Palestinian children, expressing a sense of urgency and concern for their well-being.
Accurso stated, “You should never have to prove that you are a child. Palestinians are equal to the children of the world,” emphasizing her stance on global human rights.
The advocacy group Stop Antisemitism criticized her, labeling her a “spokesperson for Hamas” and claiming she disseminates their propaganda regarding casualties in Gaza.
Earlier this year, Accurso acknowledged that she had liked an anti-Semitic comment on Instagram, which called for the “de-Jewish” aspect of America. She later apologized, attributing it to an accident and claiming she thought it had been deleted.
Accurso is known to be an ally of Mayor Zoran Mamdani, who included her in his inaugural committee. Additionally, she has conducted an Instagram interview with Lander, expressing her admiration for him.
She highlighted his commitment to issues such as preventing ICE from separating children from their families and opposing government funding for military actions that have resulted in civilian casualties in Gaza. Accurso praised Lander for his calls for dignity and justice for Palestinians, reiterating her view that the situation in Gaza equates to genocide.
Mr. Accurso declined to provide any comments.
