Rand Paul’s Son Apologizes for Drunken Antisemitic, Anti-Gay Rant
William Paul allegedly told Rep. Mike Lawler he "hates Jews and hates gays" during a drunken confrontation at a Capitol Hill bar.
William Paul, the son of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), apologized after allegedly telling U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) during a drunken confrontation at a Washington bar that he “hates Jews and hates gays.”
“Last night, I had too much to drink and said some things that don’t represent who I really am,” Paul wrote in a May 13 social media post. “I’m sorry and today I am seeking help for my drinking problem.”
The confrontation reportedly occurred late on May 12 at Tune Inn Restaurant & Bar, a popular Capitol Hill watering hole frequented by congressional staffers, lobbyists, and lawmakers.
Lawler told reporters during a press gaggle at the U.S. Capitol that Paul drunkenly approached him while he was having dinner with Reese Gorman, a reporter for the political news outlet NOTUS.
According to Lawler, Paul interrupted their conversation and said he would hold “your people” responsible if U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a political ally of Rand Paul, loses his May 19 primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
Massie has drawn attacks from groups aligned with President Donald Trump for opposing some of the president’s legislative priorities and for pushing to release the Epstein files. He has also faced criticism from pro-Israel groups over votes against symbolic measures backing the Israeli government.
According to The Guardian, Lawler told reporters that after Paul accused him of being Jewish, he responded by saying he is Irish, Italian, and Catholic.
“And he goes, ‘Oh! Oh, I’m sorry to accuse you of that,'” Lawler said.
Lawler said Paul then launched into a roughly 10-minute rant about Israel, Jews, and billionaire donor Paul Singer, accusing Jews of controlling political events and invoking “typical antisemitic tropes.”
“At one point, [he] said that he hates Jews and hates gays and doesn’t care if they die,” Lawler said. “And I think that’s fucking disgusting.”
In a firsthand account published by NOTUS, Gorman reported that Paul called Jews “anti-American” and accused Lawler and his “Jewish supporters” of serving Israel over the United States.
“Paul Singer serves Israeli interests, not American interests,” Paul allegedly said, referring to the Republican mega-donor helping bankroll an anti-Massie super PAC.
Singer, who is Jewish, has previously donated to LGBTQ causes and is the focus of a recent controversial pro-Massie ad attacking Massie’s challenger, Eddie Gallrein, over Singer’s support for LGBTQ rights.
Paul also told Lawler that he “needs to watch more Tucker Carlson.” He reportedly claimed that Massie and Sen. Paul were the only lawmakers who truly care about the United States.
Lawler said he eventually tried to end the conversation, telling Paul: “Well, you just seem to hate Jews, so there’s no point arguing anymore.”
Paul responded by pointing his finger in Lawler’s face and saying, “Don’t put words in my mouth, Mike Lawler, I never said that.”
He then criticized Lawler for supporting efforts to raise the SALT deduction cap in last year’s reconciliation bill.
Lawler said he again asked Paul to leave them alone, at which point Paul flipped him off.
“Did you just give me the middle finger?” Lawler asked.
“I’m sorry, yeah, I did,” Paul replied. “I’m just really drunk. I’m going to leave.”
According to Gorman’s reporting, Paul then paid his tab, knocked over his barstool, and tripped as he walked away.
Lawler later told the New York Post that Paul blamed Israel for the U.S. conflict with Iran and claimed the United States was “trying to steal Iran’s land for the Jews and steal the West Bank.”
Lawler also alleged that Paul said the conflict was “all about the gays and the Jews, and I hate them both, and I don’t care if they die.”
Those remarks were not included in Gorman’s firsthand NOTUS account of the encounter.
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