Sen. Rand Paul’s son apologizes after antisemitic outburst at Rep. Mike Lawler

Following a confrontation with a congressman on Tuesday where he unleashed repeated antisemitic remarks, William Paul - son of Sen. Rand Paul - issued an apology on Wednesday and announced he is seeking treatment for his alcohol issues.

"Last night, I had too much to drink and said some things that don’t represent who I really am," William Paul posted on social media Wednesday afternoon. "I’m sorry, and today I am seeking help for my drinking problem."

The clash unfolded late Tuesday at the Tune Inn bar and restaurant in Washington, DC, witnessed by NOTUS reporter Reese Gorman, who provided a firsthand account of the exchange.

Paul confronted Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, claiming that if Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie loses his upcoming primary on May 19, it would be due to "your people," according to the NOTUS report.

Lawler, who is not Jewish, responded by noting his Irish, Italian, and Catholic heritage, as detailed in Gorman’s reporting.

"And he goes, ‘Oh! Oh, I’m sorry to accuse you of that,’" Lawler recounted in a press briefing shared by a CourthouseNews reporter. "Which is just a remarkable statement in and of itself. But he then went on a roughly 10-minute diatribe about Israel, about Jews, about Paul Singer, and accusing Jews of being responsible for so many things, playing right into the typical antisemitic tropes that so many people rely on."

A recent TV advertisement supporting Massie highlighted hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, featuring a Pride flag-patterned Star of David beside his image. The spot described Singer as a "major pro-gay, pro-trans activist who works with far-left, hardcore Democrats."

Singer, who is Jewish, is a prominent Republican donor. His son is gay, and he has long championed gay rights causes.

William Paul’s father, Rand Paul, serves as Kentucky’s junior senator. The Republican, a former presidential candidate, endorsed Massie last October.

"At one point, he said that he hates Jews and hates gays and doesn’t care if they die," Lawler recalled of the encounter. "And I think that’s f***ing disgusting. So, you know, the conversation shortly thereafter ended, he gave me the middle finger, and then tripped on his way out the door."

Lawler serves district with large Jewish community

Lawler represents New York’s 17th congressional district, a competitive area that encompasses a substantial Orthodox Jewish population in Rockland County.

The Kentucky Jewish Council, an organization combating antisemitism in the state, condemned the episode in a statement.

"We are deeply disturbed both by the antisemitic conspiracy theories posited by Mr. Paul and with his comfort in harassing someone he thought was Jewish in a public place," the council stated. "We regret that Congressman Lawler had to experience the kind of abuse far too many American Jews suffer on a regular basis."

The Tuesday incident marks another case in recent months where a non-Jewish public figure faced antisemitic vitriol. In March, after an attempted car attack on a Michigan synagogue and Jewish preschool, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard - who is not Jewish - reported receiving antisemitic memes and slurs.