Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, chairman of President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, ousted member Carrie Prejean Boller following a contentious public hearing on antisemitism, sparking debates over commission authority and the definition of antisemitism.
On Wednesday, Patrick announced on social media platform X that he had removed Boller, a former Miss California USA, after tense exchanges during a Monday hearing focused on antisemitism in America. He stated that “no member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue,” directly referencing Boller’s conduct during the proceedings. The removal was Patrick’s unilateral decision, emphasizing his role as chair in maintaining order and focus during commission activities.
During the hearing, Boller defended conservative commentator Candace Owens, who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories to her millions of followers, arguing that Owens has never made antisemitic statements. She engaged in sharp exchanges with witnesses, including Seth Dillon, CEO of the satirical site The Babylon Bee, who testified about the need to counter antisemitism on the right. Boller questioned whether criticism of Israel should be labeled antisemitic, leading Dillon to note that some individuals conceal antisemitism under the guise of political criticism, highlighting the nuanced nature of the debate.
Boller immediately challenged Patrick’s authority to remove her, insisting that only President Trump has the power to appoint or dismiss commission members. In a post on X, she accused Patrick of acting in alignment with a “Zionist political framework” that hijacked the hearing, rather than defending religious liberty. This dispute underscores deeper ideological rifts within the commission, which was established by Trump last year to explore threats to domestic religious freedom and has since become a focal point for conservative Christian perspectives.
The hearing featured multiple witnesses, including students who provided firsthand accounts of universities failing to protect Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Testimonies aimed to address rising antisemitism, but Boller’s interventions shifted the focus to defending Owens and disputing definitions, which Patrick cited as disruptive. The commission, tasked with delivering a report to Trump this spring, has held several hearings, often criticizing the prior administration’s handling of religious freedom issues.
Simultaneously, the commission faces a federal lawsuit filed this week by progressive religious groups, including the Interfaith Alliance and Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh organizations. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, alleges that the panel violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act by lacking diversity and consisting almost entirely of conservative Christian members, thus failing to represent a balanced range of viewpoints on religious liberty.
The ouster has ignited broader discussions on the right about the platforming of antisemitic voices and the commission’s effectiveness. As the panel moves forward with its report, the incident raises questions about its ability to address complex religious freedom issues impartially. The outcome may influence future commission actions and its standing amid ongoing legal and political scrutiny.
