by William Skink

Did you know it’s anti-semitic to accurately describe the function of the Israeli lobbying group, AIPAC?

That’s what Rep. Ilhan Omar is discovering after her “offensive”, “anti-semitic” tweets describing AIPAC’s interest as being “all about the Benjamins baby“.

House Democrats have called on congressional leaders to condemn controversial remarks made by Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) suggesting that Israeli money has influenced US politics, reports Politico.
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Omar suggested in a Sunday night tweet that America’s support of Israel is due to donations by pro-Israel groups such as AIPAC, after an earlier tweet responding to journalist Glenn Greenwald was interpreted as anti-Semitic.

Rep. Omar quickly apologized for her factual explanation of how lobbying groups function. Apparently associating anything related to money to anything related to being jewish is an “anti-semitic trope”.

To counter this absurd smear against Rep. Omar, The Intercept has a piece out about a documentary that’s been suppressed, titled Pro-Israel Lobby Caught on Tape Boasting That Its Money Influences Washington. Is this title anti-semitic? From the link:

The debate over the influence of pro-Israel groups could be informed by an investigation by Al Jazeera, in which an undercover reporter infiltrated The Israel Project, a Washington-based group, and secretly recorded conversations about political strategy and influence over a six-month period in 2016. That investigation, however, was never aired by the network — suppressed by pressure from the pro-Israel lobby.
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David Ochs, founder of HaLev, which helps send young people to AIPAC’s annual conference, described for the reporter how AIPAC and its donors organize fundraisers outside the official umbrella of the organization, so that the money doesn’t show up on disclosures as coming specifically from AIPAC. He describes one group that organizes fundraisers in both Washington and New York. “This is the biggest ad hoc political group, definitely the wealthiest, in D.C.,” Ochs says, adding that it has no official name, but is clearly tied to AIPAC. “It’s the AIPAC group. It makes a difference, it really, really does. It’s the best bang for your buck and the networking is phenomenal.” (Ochs and AIPAC did not immediately return The Intercept’s requests for comment.)

Without spending money, Ochs argues, the pro-Israel lobby isn’t able to enact its agenda. “Congressmen and senators don’t do anything unless you pressure them. They kick the can down the road, unless you pressure them, and the only way to do that is with money,” he explains.

Can facts be anti-semitic?