Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is pointing the finger at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee for Democrats’ Election Day losses — setting off a firestorm from critics who say she’d rather blame Jews than second-guess her own left-wing policies.
“If people want to talk about members of Congress being overly influenced by a special interest group pushing a wildly unpopular agenda that pushes voters away from Democrats then they should be discussing AIPAC,” the Squad member posted on X.
The tweetstorm started with a comment from Bernie Sanders adviser Jeremy Slevin, who noted that Democrats needed to have a reckoning over their ties to corporate and industry lobbies, which he believes have too much influence over the Democratic Party.
X users were quick to call out the Bronx and Queens’ reps post about the bipartisan pro-Israel group for falling into a classic antisemitic trope — and deflecting well-deserved blame from Dem policies.
“Maybe stop blaming Jews for your problems,” tweeted conservative attorney Marina Medvin.
“Every former Democrat I know is more concerned about the wildly unpopular agenda of the Teachers’ Union that closed our schools, masked our kids, lowers rigor, standards and accountability while teaching an ahistorical, hateful version of America, but go on with your Jew hating,” posted NYC education council member Maud Maron.
Some commenters pointed out the irony in the squad member’s critique of AIPAC, which boosts many Democratic candidates.
“AIPAC has raised more money for Democrats than AOC has,” responded Ethan Fine. “She has a weird obsession with Jews… always talking about AIPAC and Jews controlling Congress.”
“Why hasn’t she called out other advocacy groups? Why is she obsessed with Jews?” he added.
“Most of the candidates supported by AIPAC are Democrats,” Jewish write Joel Petlin commented. “But AOC doesn’t want you to know that important fact because it would obscure her Antisemitic theory.”
AOC’s claim that support for Israel is unpopular also isn’t accurate.
A Harvard-Harris poll from October found that an overwhelming majority of Americans — 81% — support Israel over Hamas. And among Democrats, 76% say they back Israel as well.
AIPAC lists strengthening the US-Israel relationship, combatting terrorism, promoting peace, opposing anti-Israel discrimination, and countering Iran’s nuclear aggression as its top policy priorities.
The group was quick to respond in kind to AOC on X Sunday night, countering the rep with a “fact check” on what Democratic voters believe is popular, attaching the winning results of AIPAC-backed candidates in Democratic primaries.
The group spent $53 million backing pro-Israel candidates on both sides of the aisle in the 2024 election cycle, and boasts that 98% of its endorsees won their general elections on Nov. 5.
During primary season, AIPAC’s efforts successfully ousted 24 anti-Israel politicians, including squad members Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.
