Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian media: Israeli occupation forces storm the Old City in the center of Nablus, occupied West Bank
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: Sudanese army forces drones strike town of Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
Syrian Observatory: The plane is loaded with air defense systems and heavy weapons as part of US troop reinforcements to its bases in northeastern Syria
Syrian Observatory: US cargo plane lands with two military helicopters at Kharab al-Jir base in the countryside of Rmeilan, north of Hasakah
Miguel Díaz-Canel to Gustavo Petro: US seeks to reimpose the Monroe Doctrine in its relations with sovereign states in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades, the military wing of the PFLP, says they handed over the body of an Israeli captive to the Israeli occupation forces in implementation of the clauses of the ceasefire agreement.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: Israeli drones are flying over the presidential palace in Baabda, Mount Lebanon, and over the skies of the capital, Beirut, and its suburbs.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launch a series of raids on the al-Mahmoudiya and Jarmaq areas
Trump reiterates proposal for Russia and Ukraine to stop at current front line, negotiate later
Reuters: Trump says no discussion regarding Ukraine ceding Donbas to Russia

AIPAC's financial interference in US primaries

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen English
  • 3 Aug 2022 16:43
  • 1 Shares
5 Min Read

The American "Israel" Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) decides to exclude Jewish lawmakers whose support for "Israel" is insufficient.

  • x
  • Levin was subjected to a fierce campaign in the primaries due to his insufficient support for
    Andy Levin was subjected to a fierce campaign in the primaries due to his "insufficient" support for "Israel" (Archive)

"Israel" will play an important role in the upcoming US primaries, where two Democratic candidates will compete against a Republican candidate to represent the Michigan congressional district.

According to an article in Asharq Al-Awsat by the former US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, the American "Israel" Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is seeking to dismiss the representative of the Jewish Congress Andy Levin, a fierce defender of "Israel’s" right to exist and a self-declared Zionist. The problem, according to the article, is that despite his pro-"Israel" views, he is in favor of the "two-state solution."

In the past years, AIPAC identified some of the names of American politicians whose support for "Israel" was considered insufficient, and accordingly financial donations were secured by individuals and institutions to finance the electoral campaigns of their opponents. But the difference this year is that AIPAC has created a subsidiary organization to donate directly to political campaigns across the US. Because US political transparency laws require campaigns to report their donations, it was found that the AIPAC funding branch has so far donated about $30 million to political campaigns in Congress.

AIPAC did not deny its financial interference. On the contrary, some officials from the institution linked their direct intervention in the campaigns to the changes taking place within the Democratic Party. For example, 24 senators from the Democratic Party sent a statement last month to US President Joe Biden asking him to intervene to ensure a fair investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

AIPAC disputed the letter, and then in May, 57 House Democrats, mostly from the party's left wing, wrote a letter urging the administration to investigate the killing of Abu Akleh. Levin was among those who signed it.

On the other hand, Hayley Stevens, a Democratic member of Congress who affirms her endless support for "Israel", refused to sign a letter urging an American investigation. Therefore, AIPAC donated $3 million to her campaign, in the August 2 primaries, in competition with Levin himself.

On top of that, The Intercept reported that AIPAC used more than $8 million to support its "candidates", and nearly half of that amount went toward the race to oust Levin, who was behind Stevens with 40% to 60% of the vote. 

Moreover, pro-"Israel" associations with deep ties to AIPAC made huge financial investments in the Michigan election races. The right-wing "Israel" lobby had spent more than $10 million in total across the state's 11th, 12th, and 13th congressional districts, far outstripping any other interest group or fundraiser from the candidates themselves.

Related News

US Senate candidate calls Gaza war a genocide in Michigan senate bid

Democrats break from AIPAC as war on Gaza shifts 'Israel' stance: NYT

In an interview for MSNBC last week, Levin said, "I'm really Jewish, but AIPAC can't stand the idea that I'm the clearest and strongest Jewish voice in Congress defending a simple proposition: that there is no way to have a secure, democratic home for the Jewish people unless we achieve the political and human rights of the Palestinian people."

According to Ford, AIPAC's financial interference in the Democratic primaries resulted in nine successful candidates out of the ten that they backed.

Strategically, AIPAC handpicks its candidates. Therefore, they avoid investing money in campaigns against congresswomen Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and Ilhan Omar in Minnesota, despite their sharp criticism of "Israel", because AIPAC realized, according to its studies, that it will be very difficult to defeat them.

In contrast, AIPAC's direct interference in the Democratic primary was not without a quick reaction. Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders described the association's intervention as a war against the Democratic Party. One of the Democratic Party's most important progressive politicians, Senator Elizabeth Warren, also flew to Michigan to speak in support of Levin.

In addition, the national organization J Street, which strongly supports the "two-state solution" and argues against AIPAC's preferred US policy approach in the region, had begun to fund its own candidates' political campaigns. However, the funding offered by J Street is significantly less than that offered by AIPAC.

Furthermore, Ford stated that he has a long experience with AIPAC. After he resigned from the State Department in 2014 because he did not agree with former President Barack Obama's policy on Syria, he received invitations from the committee to speak at some of its conferences about Iran's role in Syria and the region. In return, Ford asserted that he received "a small reward for such lectures, the last of which was in 2018."

In those years, AIPAC directors assured him that support for "Israel" had to come from both sides in order for it to be strong. Their decision this year to target politicians similar to Levin indicated a confrontation with the more progressive pro-"Israel" wing of the Democratic Party.

If AIPAC succeeds, it will increase the influence, within the Democratic Party, of conservatives to push out the more progressive and left-wing persons, including many young activists.

Read more: Israeli Media: AIPAC to begin officially fundraising for politicians

  • AIPAC
  • Election Primaries
  • US
  • Andy Levin
  • US elections

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari , during a ceremony in an undisclosed locations in Yemen, undate (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces mourn martyred Chief of Staff al-Ghamari

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
Israeli occupation violates Gaza ceasefire, killing seven Palestinians.

Israeli occupation violates Gaza ceasefire, kills seven Palestinians

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Zionists Fundamentally Misread Iran Due To Their Own Echo Chambers

Zionists fundamentally misread Iran due to their own echo chambers

  • Analysis
  • 15 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
UK blocks release of documents on secretive Lammy-Sa’ar meeting.
Politics

UK blocks release of documents on secret Lammy-Sa’ar meeting

Colombia slams Trump’s drug accusation, defends sovereignty
Politics

Colombia slams Trump’s incendiary drug claims, defends sovereignty

The abuse was detailed in Giuffre's memoir "Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice." (AP)
Politics

Epstein victim recounts choking, sexual assault by 'well-known PM'

The US Secret Service discovered a hunting stand near the airport President Donald Trump uses in Florida. (US Secret Service)
Politics

FBI probes hunting stand with sightline to Trump’s Air Force One exit

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS