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| The anti-Ellison: Labor Sect'y Tom Perez puts himself forward as pro-Israel DNC chair | |||||
| 2016-12-23 | |||||
Perez held a conference call with more than 50 prominent Jewish leaders and activists on Wednesday afternoon, including dozens of former and current members of Congress. The call was organized by Bluelight Strategies, a consulting firm that represents a number of Jewish organizations and Democratic interest groups. While Perez did not mention Ellison by name, he took pains to distinguish himself from the man whose past remarks the Anti-Defamation League recently deemed "disqualifying" for the leadership post. According to several Jewish Democrats who participated in the call, Perez has already made inroads with a community eager for an alternative to Ellison. "Most members of the DNC won’t vote against him because of his stance on Israel, maybe some, but not a lot," one former Jewish leader and Democratic official who was on the call said. "But the fact that it’s an issue with the Jewish community will matter to DNC members because it’s an issue. Tom is letting it be known that that is not a problem with him." The internal DNC election takes place on the weekend of February 23 to February 26. Out of the 447 party officials who cast a vote, fewer than 20 are Jewish, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Three weeks ago, ADL chief Jonathan Greenblatt rebuked Ellison for newly released audio in which he seemed to encourage Americans of Arab descent to become active in politics by suggesting that US foreign policy was dictated by Israeli interests. Ellison insisted he was "taken out of context" and that the audio of his address, given at a private fundraiser, was "selectively edited." The Investigative Report on Terrorism, which first released the recording of the speech, responded by publishing a follow-up of the entire audio, which also divulged the Congressman saying the US "can’t allow another country to treat us like we’re their ATM," referring to Israel, but that "it makes all the sense in the world when you see that that country has mobilized its Diaspora in America to do its bidding in America." Ellison, the first Moslem elected to Congress, has garnered the support of some in the Jewish community, including the left-wing Mideast policy group J Street and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Senator-for-life from New York, renowned for his love of standing in front of cameras. Schumer has been a professional politician since 1975, when disco was in flower. , one of the most prominent Jewish members of Congress and a famously staunch supporter of Israel. But he has also elicited strong opposition from some in the party establishment. Israeli-American media mogul Haim Saban, a major Democratic donor, lashed out at Ellison recently, calling him "clearly an anti-Semitic and anti-Israel individual" who "would be a disaster for the relationship between the Jewish community and the Democratic Party." Saban is one of the highest overall individual contributors to the Democratic Party who in 2002 wrote a $7 million check to underwrite the DNC’s headquarters building in Washington, DC. Perez also mentioned his past visit to Israel and admiration for former president and prime minister Shimon Peres. "One of the privileges of my life was getting to travel to Israel and meet someone who is one of my heroes, Shimon Peres," he said. "Uncle Shimon, to me." "When he passed away, I remember going to my church to say a prayer for him and to light a candle for him, and to hope that the progressive values that he championed are progressive values that will endure," he added. | |||||
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 They adopt a 'sad face' instead of handing out candies? |
| Posted by: magpie 2016-12-23 16:22 |
| #2 You'll see the knife? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2016-12-23 12:10 |
| #1 Exactly what "Pro-Israel" means in this context? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2016-12-23 02:29 |