The Hoffman for Senate 2020 campaign asks Senator Cory Booker:

“Whom Do You Represent?’

Senator Booker, do you represent your constituents or do you represent lobbies, including the largest lobby in the US, AIPAC?

The latest University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll found that:

·         A majority of Democrats (77%) said the argument for BDS was closest to their views, a large majority of Republicans (85%) agreed with the argument opposing BDS, and independents were divided.

·         When respondents were presented with a question probing moves to pass laws opposing boycotts of Israel: majorities of Democrats (80%), Republicans (62%), and independents (76%) indicate opposition to such laws, principally over the fact that these laws infringe on the constitutional right to free speech and peaceful protest.

Yet, you, Senator Booker, voted for the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and will be a speaker at the upcoming AIPAC conference (American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports the Israeli military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank). A conference that Presidential nominees Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, and Klobuchar are skipping, as they, unlike you, have listened to their constituents. Constituents who, in increasing numbers, as polls such as the above demonstrate, oppose shielding the Israeli government from the consequences of denying Palestinians freedom and justice.

The change in the unquestioned support that Israel previously had [but no longer has] has been most obvious among Democrats and American Jews.

Again, Senator Booker, we ask you, “Whom do you represent? Lobbies, and the financial support they provide, or your constituents?” Your constituents have evolved on this issue. Why haven’t you?

Senator Booker, you would do well to follow the lead of, and support, brave Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who faced the ire of AIPAC for sponsoring a bill to protect Palestinian children from the torture, imprisonment, and killing they face from Israel’s army and Israel’s illegal settlers (illegal, as per International Law). AIPAC tweets, so outrageous, that this usually unrepentant group eventually deleted them, compared the Congresswoman and other critics of Israeli state violence, to ISIS. Congresswoman McCollum stood up to their hate speech, which stifles dissent, while you support it, by not only attending their conference, but being a speaker.

Senator Booker, be a mensch and say NO to AIPAC.