One of the nation’s most formidable pro-Israel lobbying groups has strategically recruited candidates for more than a year to contest seats held by progressive members of the Congressional Black Caucus in the upcoming 2024 primaries, according to an investigation by The Intercept.
Newly uncovered documents from the Federal Election Commission reveal the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, has spent about $3.6 million on the effort since February 2022 as the group works quietly behind the scenes to unseat at least three House members in the bloc of eight progressive Democrats known as “the Squad.”
The report alleges the money was initially unreported as it began filtering to 31 veteran members of the Black caucus last year in an apparent effort to undermine some of the bloc’s more vocal and controversial members.
The development, first reported in September by the online American nonprofit news organization, is newly relevant as at least two Black caucus members have triggered outrage among American Jews for voicing opposition toward Israel amid the country’s ongoing war with Hamas in defiance of the leading U.S. ally of in the Middle East.
AIPAC was mainly focused on unseating Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Jamaal Bowman of New York who have recently expressed support for Palestinians in Gaza while calling for restricted aid to Israel — a position that has stoked deep divisions within the fractious caucus and set the stage for a potentially contentious ballot in 2024 as lawmakers navigate a fine line with voters who represent both sides of the conflict.
The small group of Democrats on the Squad are reportedly the only incumbents being targeted by the special interest group in the upcoming primaries after five new progressives joined the ranks of the Black caucus since 2019.
Democratic advocates also accused AIPAC of channeling Republican funds to support primary challenges against incumbent…
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