U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks at a press conference in Washington D.C. on February 29, 2024.
'Shameful': Omar Rips Late Effort by Pro-Israel Donors to Boost Her Primary Opponent
The progressive Minnesota congresswoman said her Democratic challenger is "actively courting Republican votes and desperately seeking funding from AIPAC."
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar on Sunday condemned a last-minute effort by pro-Israel donors to boost her Democratic primary opponent in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District following the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's successful campaigns against two other progressive Squad members.
"It is shameful that my opponent is actively courting Republican votes and desperately seeking funding from AIPAC," Omar wrote on social media in response to reporting by Jacqueline Sweet in The Intercept. "MN05 deserves someone who will champion their values, not seek support from vile MAGA Republicans like Laura Loomer and Royce White."
Sweet reported Sunday that "members of a WhatsApp group founded by wealthy pro-Israel donors coordinated to infuse cash" into the primary campaign of Don Samuels, a former member of Minneapolis City Council who fell just short of defeating Omar in 2022—a race that also attracted right-wing super PAC spending against the incumbent.
This year's primary—in which voters of any party affiliation can participate—will be held on Tuesday.
According to Sweet, members of the WhatsApp group—including "a consultant who at the time was working for the Samuels campaign as well as far-flung political donors"—recently "discussed raising six-figure sums for a political action committee, strategies for campaign phone banks, and an effort to marshal Republican voters to boost Samuels in Tuesday's open primary."
"One participant in the WhatsApp group, Michael Sinensky—a wealthy entrepreneur who on the chat justifies support for 'alt-right Christian neo-Nazis'—said he has worked with Make a Difference MN to raise over $120,000 for Samuels since July 31," Sweet reported, citing messages in the group chat. "Make a Difference MN, a super PAC, was used by AIPAC in 2022 to route $350,000 into Samuels' race."
Sweet pointed to a message posted to the group chat by Alex Minn, who was working for the Samuels campaign at the time he sent the message. Minn called Omar "public enemy #1 to Jews, Israel, and America" and wrote that "we all have the power to help get rid of" the Squad.
Minn also said "he had been in touch with AIPAC," Sweet reported. "In one case, a Samuels supporter in the group had an email to an AIPAC regional office bounce back, and Minn offered to check the address."
On July 25, Minn wrote that the Samuels campaign "is in regular and will continue to be in regular communication with AIPAC." (The Samuels campaign told Sweet that Minn no longer works for the campaign.)
Justice Democrats, an advocacy group that helped form a coalition aimed at combatting AIPAC influence in the 2024 primaries, wrote Sunday that "AIPAC, its allies, and Don Samuels are building coalitions with Trump donors and neo-Nazis to attack" Omar.
"As AIPAC becomes the single largest source of GOP donor spending in Dem primaries," the group added, "Ilhan Omar is on the frontlines of defending our democracy—the choice is easy in MN05."
Last week, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost her primary against a Democratic opponent backed by millions of dollars from AIPAC's super PAC, the United Democracy Project, which also spent big to defeat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) in New York's 16th Congressional District.
Bush, Bowman, and Omar have been among Congress' most vocal critics of U.S. support for Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip, which is now in its 11th month with no end in sight. Their criticisms of the war and calls for a permanent cease-fire—which align with the views of a strong majority of the U.S. public—have intensified efforts by pro-Israel donors and organizations to deny the progressive lawmakers another term in Congress.
Jewish Insider reported Monday that Samuels' campaign "saw an influx of contributions" in the hours after Bush's defeat.
But Omar "has significantly outraised Samuels" this year, Axios noted, and "has spent more than $2.7 million on TV and digital ads, per Ad Impact, compared to the roughly $185,000 from the Samuels campaign."
According to The Cook Political Report, Omar "looks like she's in a strong position to fend off another primary challenge."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar on Sunday condemned a last-minute effort by pro-Israel donors to boost her Democratic primary opponent in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District following the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's successful campaigns against two other progressive Squad members.
"It is shameful that my opponent is actively courting Republican votes and desperately seeking funding from AIPAC," Omar wrote on social media in response to reporting by Jacqueline Sweet in The Intercept. "MN05 deserves someone who will champion their values, not seek support from vile MAGA Republicans like Laura Loomer and Royce White."
Sweet reported Sunday that "members of a WhatsApp group founded by wealthy pro-Israel donors coordinated to infuse cash" into the primary campaign of Don Samuels, a former member of Minneapolis City Council who fell just short of defeating Omar in 2022—a race that also attracted right-wing super PAC spending against the incumbent.
This year's primary—in which voters of any party affiliation can participate—will be held on Tuesday.
According to Sweet, members of the WhatsApp group—including "a consultant who at the time was working for the Samuels campaign as well as far-flung political donors"—recently "discussed raising six-figure sums for a political action committee, strategies for campaign phone banks, and an effort to marshal Republican voters to boost Samuels in Tuesday's open primary."
"One participant in the WhatsApp group, Michael Sinensky—a wealthy entrepreneur who on the chat justifies support for 'alt-right Christian neo-Nazis'—said he has worked with Make a Difference MN to raise over $120,000 for Samuels since July 31," Sweet reported, citing messages in the group chat. "Make a Difference MN, a super PAC, was used by AIPAC in 2022 to route $350,000 into Samuels' race."
Sweet pointed to a message posted to the group chat by Alex Minn, who was working for the Samuels campaign at the time he sent the message. Minn called Omar "public enemy #1 to Jews, Israel, and America" and wrote that "we all have the power to help get rid of" the Squad.
Minn also said "he had been in touch with AIPAC," Sweet reported. "In one case, a Samuels supporter in the group had an email to an AIPAC regional office bounce back, and Minn offered to check the address."
On July 25, Minn wrote that the Samuels campaign "is in regular and will continue to be in regular communication with AIPAC." (The Samuels campaign told Sweet that Minn no longer works for the campaign.)
Justice Democrats, an advocacy group that helped form a coalition aimed at combatting AIPAC influence in the 2024 primaries, wrote Sunday that "AIPAC, its allies, and Don Samuels are building coalitions with Trump donors and neo-Nazis to attack" Omar.
"As AIPAC becomes the single largest source of GOP donor spending in Dem primaries," the group added, "Ilhan Omar is on the frontlines of defending our democracy—the choice is easy in MN05."
Last week, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost her primary against a Democratic opponent backed by millions of dollars from AIPAC's super PAC, the United Democracy Project, which also spent big to defeat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) in New York's 16th Congressional District.
Bush, Bowman, and Omar have been among Congress' most vocal critics of U.S. support for Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip, which is now in its 11th month with no end in sight. Their criticisms of the war and calls for a permanent cease-fire—which align with the views of a strong majority of the U.S. public—have intensified efforts by pro-Israel donors and organizations to deny the progressive lawmakers another term in Congress.
Jewish Insider reported Monday that Samuels' campaign "saw an influx of contributions" in the hours after Bush's defeat.
But Omar "has significantly outraised Samuels" this year, Axios noted, and "has spent more than $2.7 million on TV and digital ads, per Ad Impact, compared to the roughly $185,000 from the Samuels campaign."
According to The Cook Political Report, Omar "looks like she's in a strong position to fend off another primary challenge."
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar on Sunday condemned a last-minute effort by pro-Israel donors to boost her Democratic primary opponent in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District following the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's successful campaigns against two other progressive Squad members.
"It is shameful that my opponent is actively courting Republican votes and desperately seeking funding from AIPAC," Omar wrote on social media in response to reporting by Jacqueline Sweet in The Intercept. "MN05 deserves someone who will champion their values, not seek support from vile MAGA Republicans like Laura Loomer and Royce White."
Sweet reported Sunday that "members of a WhatsApp group founded by wealthy pro-Israel donors coordinated to infuse cash" into the primary campaign of Don Samuels, a former member of Minneapolis City Council who fell just short of defeating Omar in 2022—a race that also attracted right-wing super PAC spending against the incumbent.
This year's primary—in which voters of any party affiliation can participate—will be held on Tuesday.
According to Sweet, members of the WhatsApp group—including "a consultant who at the time was working for the Samuels campaign as well as far-flung political donors"—recently "discussed raising six-figure sums for a political action committee, strategies for campaign phone banks, and an effort to marshal Republican voters to boost Samuels in Tuesday's open primary."
"One participant in the WhatsApp group, Michael Sinensky—a wealthy entrepreneur who on the chat justifies support for 'alt-right Christian neo-Nazis'—said he has worked with Make a Difference MN to raise over $120,000 for Samuels since July 31," Sweet reported, citing messages in the group chat. "Make a Difference MN, a super PAC, was used by AIPAC in 2022 to route $350,000 into Samuels' race."
Sweet pointed to a message posted to the group chat by Alex Minn, who was working for the Samuels campaign at the time he sent the message. Minn called Omar "public enemy #1 to Jews, Israel, and America" and wrote that "we all have the power to help get rid of" the Squad.
Minn also said "he had been in touch with AIPAC," Sweet reported. "In one case, a Samuels supporter in the group had an email to an AIPAC regional office bounce back, and Minn offered to check the address."
On July 25, Minn wrote that the Samuels campaign "is in regular and will continue to be in regular communication with AIPAC." (The Samuels campaign told Sweet that Minn no longer works for the campaign.)
Justice Democrats, an advocacy group that helped form a coalition aimed at combatting AIPAC influence in the 2024 primaries, wrote Sunday that "AIPAC, its allies, and Don Samuels are building coalitions with Trump donors and neo-Nazis to attack" Omar.
"As AIPAC becomes the single largest source of GOP donor spending in Dem primaries," the group added, "Ilhan Omar is on the frontlines of defending our democracy—the choice is easy in MN05."
Last week, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost her primary against a Democratic opponent backed by millions of dollars from AIPAC's super PAC, the United Democracy Project, which also spent big to defeat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) in New York's 16th Congressional District.
Bush, Bowman, and Omar have been among Congress' most vocal critics of U.S. support for Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip, which is now in its 11th month with no end in sight. Their criticisms of the war and calls for a permanent cease-fire—which align with the views of a strong majority of the U.S. public—have intensified efforts by pro-Israel donors and organizations to deny the progressive lawmakers another term in Congress.
Jewish Insider reported Monday that Samuels' campaign "saw an influx of contributions" in the hours after Bush's defeat.
But Omar "has significantly outraised Samuels" this year, Axios noted, and "has spent more than $2.7 million on TV and digital ads, per Ad Impact, compared to the roughly $185,000 from the Samuels campaign."
According to The Cook Political Report, Omar "looks like she's in a strong position to fend off another primary challenge."