Allies of the largest pro- Israel lobby group are denying allegations that the organization distorted an image of Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) for ad campaign purposes, a move the congresswoman blasted as "blatant racism" as she prepares for a competitive primary election next week.
An American Israel Public Affairs Committee mailer obtained by the Intercept included a photo of Bush in which her features appear elongated, her forehead appears widened, and her skin appears to be lighter.
However, the United Democracy Project, AIPAC's super PAC, denied these accusations.
"First the Intercept is a rabid anti-Israel fringe publication that takes every opportunity to attack supporters of Israel," spokesperson Patrick Dorton said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "This is a completely false and absurd accusation about an unmanipulated image that is just an attempt by Cori Bush and her allies to distract from the fact that she is one of the least effective members of Congress, has missed tons of votes, hasn’t passed a single bill, and has opposed President Biden on key issues."
The original photograph was taken from an article published by the Missouri Independent , as seen below.
Missouri Independent editor-in-chief Jason Hancock said in a statement to the Washington Examiner that the use of the image violates the outlet's republishing rules .
"As a nonprofit news organization we do not allow campaigns or political groups to use our photography," Hancock said. "We would never give a PAC permission to use our photos, and doing so without our knowledge or permission violates our terms of use."
Controversy over the mailer and alleged distorted image is the latest battle between AIPAC and "Squad" Democrats, whom the pro-Israel group views as targets to oust in their respective 2024 primaries because of their support of Palestinians and, for some, their previous anti-Israel remarks.
Support for Israel has been a knife in the side for Democrats heading into critical House races this November, as the party looks to defend competitive seats and flip vulnerable Republican districts to retake the majority. Progressive Democrats who have vocally condemned Israel's war with Hamas and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza have become prime targets for groups such as AIPAC and the Democratic Majority for Israel.
AIPAC and its allies dumped millions into Rep. Jamaal Bowman's (D-NY) race in New York's 16th Congressional District, making it the most expensive primary race in United States history. Thanks to the funding, Bowman was ousted by Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is likely to win the general election in November.
With a win under its belt, AIPAC vowed that it would not stop at defeating Bowman, turning its attention to other progressives such as Bush, whose primary is next Tuesday. AIPAC unveiled a plan early in the cycle to spend up to $100 million to unseat Bush and her fellow Israel critics. So far, the United Democracy Project has spent $7 million to oust the Missouri congresswoman, according to campaign finance records.
Bush blasted AIPAC's mailer as racist and shameful in a statement to the Intercept. The congresswoman's campaign did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.
"It is shameful that, in 2024, our communities are still being targeted with such blatant racism from political campaigns, let alone in a Democratic primary,” Bush said. “The people of St. Louis deserve better than to see their first Black Congresswoman racistly distorted into a caricature — I shouldn’t have to ask my opponent to condemn his biggest funders for putting out an ad like this and to apologize to the people of this district.”
Bush’s challenger, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, has been vocally critical of the Missouri congresswoman’s calls to end the “occupation” of Israel — a common call among the “Squad” Democrats as the war continues in the region. Bell's campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner on whether he denounced the mailer image.
Bell has outpaced Bush in fundraising, ending April with $1.1 million cash on hand to Bush’s $528,000. As of that filing, the attorney had received more than $360,000 in individual contributions earmarked as having been directed to his campaign through AIPAC.
Not all AIPAC attempts to oust anti-Israel members have been successful. “Squad” Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) defeated pro-Israel challenger Bhavani Patel — however, she was one of the few progressives not targeted by AIPAC or the DMFI PAC, with both groups opting to stay out of the primary.
Bush herself had blasted AIPAC's influence on Bowman's race, calling the Israel lobby’s involvement the equivalent of dark money trying to “buy our democracy.”
"AIPAC and their allies — backed by far-right Donald Trump megadonors — poured a tidal wave of cash into this primary race showing us just how desperate these billionaire extremists are in their attempts to buy our democracy, promote their own gain, and silence the voices of progress and justice,” Bush wrote following her fellow "Squad" member's loss.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a "Squad" member, faces a rematch against former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels. As of Saturday, pro-Israel groups such as AIPAC were not getting involved in the primary. Samuels narrowly lost to Omar in the 2022 midterm elections, but the United Democracy Project sent funding to another super PAC that ultimately spent about $625,000 on Samuels’s behalf.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Omar has faced backlash since 2019 for using antisemitic tropes to speak out against large PAC money and influence in politics. Most recently, she suggested that some Jewish students at Columbia University were “pro-genocide” during a visit to the campus where students were protesting the war.
Her remarks caused Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), a centrist GOP lawmaker, to file a resolution censuring her for her comments. The measure has not been brought up for a vote.
Most Popular
Comments / 0