Pro-Israel donors have selected a candidate to replace Rep. Danny Davis in Chicago, throwing their support behind Jason Friedman, one of 18 candidates vying for the seat in next year's Democratic primary.
Friedman's campaign has received over $1.5 million in donations, with a significant portion coming from major funders of pro-Israel groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC (AIPAC) and its super PAC, United Democracy Project. The two groups have spent millions on elections in recent years, including ousting two leading critics of Israel from Congress.
Friedman's connection to AIPAC is not surprising, given his past role as chair of government affairs for the Jewish United Fund, a charitable organization that promotes pro-Israel narratives. In 2021, Friedman was one of several candidates who received significant funding from AIPAC donors, with over $2 million donated to the group and its affiliated PACs.
The influx of cash from pro-Israel donors has raised eyebrows among some in the Democratic party, including former Rep. Marie Newman, who represents Illinois's 3rd District. Newman criticized Friedman for accepting donations from groups that support Israel's actions in Gaza, which she characterized as "genocide."
Friedman is running on a platform that focuses on issues unrelated to Israel, such as healthcare, education, and economic growth. However, his ties to AIPAC have sparked concern among some who fear he may be beholden to pro-Israel interests.
As the Democratic primary approaches, Friedman's campaign is likely to face scrutiny over its funding sources and potential conflicts of interest. While Friedman has not publicly stated his position on U.S. military funding for Israel or the war in Gaza, his connection to AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups raises questions about where he stands on these issues.
The situation highlights the complexities of fundraising in politics and the need for transparency in donors' contributions. It also underscores the challenges faced by Democrats who seek to balance their positions on Israel with their commitments to the broader Democratic platform.
Friedman's campaign has received over $1.5 million in donations, with a significant portion coming from major funders of pro-Israel groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC (AIPAC) and its super PAC, United Democracy Project. The two groups have spent millions on elections in recent years, including ousting two leading critics of Israel from Congress.
Friedman's connection to AIPAC is not surprising, given his past role as chair of government affairs for the Jewish United Fund, a charitable organization that promotes pro-Israel narratives. In 2021, Friedman was one of several candidates who received significant funding from AIPAC donors, with over $2 million donated to the group and its affiliated PACs.
The influx of cash from pro-Israel donors has raised eyebrows among some in the Democratic party, including former Rep. Marie Newman, who represents Illinois's 3rd District. Newman criticized Friedman for accepting donations from groups that support Israel's actions in Gaza, which she characterized as "genocide."
Friedman is running on a platform that focuses on issues unrelated to Israel, such as healthcare, education, and economic growth. However, his ties to AIPAC have sparked concern among some who fear he may be beholden to pro-Israel interests.
As the Democratic primary approaches, Friedman's campaign is likely to face scrutiny over its funding sources and potential conflicts of interest. While Friedman has not publicly stated his position on U.S. military funding for Israel or the war in Gaza, his connection to AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups raises questions about where he stands on these issues.
The situation highlights the complexities of fundraising in politics and the need for transparency in donors' contributions. It also underscores the challenges faced by Democrats who seek to balance their positions on Israel with their commitments to the broader Democratic platform.
which she calld "genocide" - thats not even somethin we should be arguin about!!! Friedman's tryna play it cool w/ his healthcare, edumacation, & econ growth platfrom but lets b real, most of us r thinkin he's gonna get pulled into pro-israel drama 
i just hop the dem primary gets a lot of scrutiny on dis cuz transparency matters!!!
, this is getting crazy! Pro-Israel donors throwing money at politicians like it's going out of style 
. I mean, I get it, politics is a game and all that jazz, but can't we just be honest about who's backing us? It feels like some people are more interested in lining their own pockets than actually representing the people they're supposed to serve 
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, how do you think this will play out in the Democratic primary? Will Friedman's ties to AIPAC really hurt his chances or will he just shrug it off and hope for the best?
. The amount of money coming from pro-Israel groups is wild 
. It's hard to ignore the connection between Friedman and AIPAC, especially considering their past moves in Congress 
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. We should know who's behind the scenes pulling the strings 
️.
i mean, as a Dem, he should be focused on healthcare, education, and economic growth... not pro-Israel propaganda 
it's all about transparency with donations... no more shady deals behind closed doors 
or we'll just have another puppet in office who doesn't represent the people 
. So, some guy Jason Friedman gets picked by pro-Israel donors to run against Rep. Danny Davis in Chicago and it's like they're trying to buy an election 
. This is just another example of how special interests can take over the political process and screw everything up 
.