News: Netanyahu’s upcoming Congress speech is further dividing Dems

Friday, July 19, 2024

Netanyahu’s upcoming Congress speech is further dividing Dems

Jul 19, 2024

With assists from POLITICO’s Congress team

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress on July 24 — and his planned remarks are deeply dividing the Democratic Party. | Pool photo by Abir Sultan

DEEP DIVISIONS OVER NETANYAHU SPEECH

It was only a few weeks ago that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming July 24 address to Congress was arguably the biggest schism among congressional Democrats. Now, with President Joe Biden’s reelection bid teetering on collapse — and the party languishing in the polls — it may serve as another inflection point for a party badly divided.

Nearly 60 members skipped Netanyahu’s address to Congress back in 2015 — and many think that the tally of Democrats skipping could be even higher this time around. (Biden, then vice president, was traveling abroad during that speech.)

Some Democrats think it’s a mistake to purposefully skip out on the remarks from a key U.S. ally. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, for example, cited “clear and profound disagreements” with the Netanyahu government (remember: he called for new elections in Israel in a remarkable floor address in March) but later said the “ironclad” U.S.-Israel alliance led him to ultimately invite the Israeli leader to speak.

“The Prime Minister's visit and speech gives Congress the opportunity to show how serious and bipartisan the support is for our partner Israel and to demonstrate our resolve for Middle East peace and stability,” Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) told Inside Congress. “If people want to watch it from home, that's okay.”

Landsman knocked some of his colleagues for planning to boycott the speech, pointing out that he’d been able to express “support and concerns” directly to Netanyahu during four trips to Israel since he arrived in Congress in 2022.

As for those who call the prime minister a “war criminal” or other criticisms, the Ohio Democrat scoffed: “Agency’s a beautiful thing, and that's how they're using it. I use mine to solve problems and be productive and try to make things better.”

A number of prominent progressives, most notably Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), won’t attend the speech over Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza following the October 7 attacks by Hamas. 1,195 Israelis were killed in the attacks, according to the Israeli government, and 251 others were taken hostage. As of July 1, at least 37,900 Palestinians have been killed and over 87,000 others have been injured, according to Gazan authorities.

“I will not be going to listen to Mr. Netanyahu,” Sanders said Friday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I think he’s a war criminal. I think he never should have been invited. And I think it’s a real problem for the Biden administration, but above and beyond that Trump will be worse — even on that issue.”

There’s already significant tension well ahead of Netanyahu’s arrival in the U.S. Hundreds of congressional staff signed onto an anonymous letter on Thursday urging members not to attend the speech. Widespread protests are expected close to the Capitol grounds on the day of the speech.

The U.S. Capitol Police said Friday they would deploy additional officers for the address and that it “anticipate[s] a large number of demonstrators to show up.” Speaker Mike Johnson vowed during a Republican Jewish Committee event in Milwaukee (around the 12:25 mark) to have “extra sergeants at arms” available for the remarks and to “arrest people if we have to do it.”

Republicans, for their part, hope Democrats will reconsider their boycott of Netanyahu and show support for the key U.S. ally.

“It is deeply disappointing that some of my colleagues are planning to boycott the joint session of Congress with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The security situation in Israel that Prime Minister Netanyahu will update us on directly impacts the United States,” House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said in a statement to POLITICO. “We need to show the world our united determination to eradicate terrorism and bring home all of the hostages. I hope my colleagues will reconsider and attend this important address.”

The Biden administration has expressed fears Netanyahu may use his address to Congress to criticize the president for not doing enough to assist in combating Hamas following the attack. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday the two men still expect to meet next week, depending on the president’s recovery from his recent Covid diagnosis.

— Anthony Adragna

GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, July 19, where we’re hearing from members that the rumor mill is going strong that the House could leave early for the August recess if more funding bills go down.

CHECK OUT WHAT YOU MISSED IN MILWAUKEE!

Watch the full event from the CNN-POLITICO Grill at the RNC HERE.

The program featured Bayer’s Jessica Christiansen, senior vice president and head of crop science and sustainability communications, as well as a conversation with Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) and POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill for discussions about agriculture, food policy and how these issues will impact the November election.

JEFFRIES: BIDEN-HARRIS ‘CAN WIN’

Ten additional rank-and-file House Democrats and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) called on Biden to abandon his reelection bid on Friday, but Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries isn’t wavering in his public support of the incumbent’s reelection bid.

“The ticket that exists right now is the ticket that we can win on,” Jeffries told WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show.” “Of course, there's work to be done and that, in fact, is the case right now because we are in an evenly divided country."

As of publication time, 33 congressional Democrats have called on the incumbent president to abandon his bid for a second term.

The Brooklyn Democrat declined to discuss his recent White House meeting with Biden, where he relayed private concerns that the incumbent could put Democratic chances of regaining the House at risk. Publically, he said he wouldn’t discount polling showing Biden struggling in traditionally Democratic-leaning states like Minnesota, Virginia, Colorado and New Hampshire.

“It means we have a fight on our hands,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said he would leave it to the DNC to determine the timing of formally nominating the Democratic ticket but said “We need to make sure we're on the ballot in every single state, including Ohio, where we've got three congressional districts that are in play and an all-important Senate seat that's in play as well.” The DNC said it would wait to determine the date and rules for the voting until next week.

— Anthony Adragna

THE RETURN OF THE GOP’S MESSY DOJ FIGHT

House Republicans have so far punted their intra-party fight over using government funding bills to target former President Donald Trump’s prosecutors. An initial draft of legislation, as we’ve noted, didn’t include any such language.

But members of Speaker Mike Johnson’s right flank are lining up to make a play on the House floor, where they will have maximum leverage because Republicans will need near unity to get the Commerce, Justice and Science bill across the floor later this month.

What Johnson is getting pressure from the right on:

– Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) has filed an amendment to prevent federal funds from going to Jack Smith’s salary, while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is pushing to prevent any funds from going to his office. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) wants to reduce his salary to $1.

– Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) filed an amendment to prevent any funding from going to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Greene offered a similar amendment for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s office.

– And Greene and Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) took a broader swipe — both offering separate amendments that would, if enacted, effectively prevent any prosecution of Trump before the election.

It’s not just a looming fight over Trump’s prosecutors. Greene has filed amendments to make Garland, Wray and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves’ salaries $1. Boebert has done the same for Wray.

Greene has also filed an amendment to prevent the Justice Department from using funds to prosecute someone for a “nonviolent offense” related to Jan. 6, which would have sweeping implications beyond just Trump.

And Boebert is taking up one of conservatives’ favorite mantles: No funding for the FBI building. That will also come up next week on the House floor with the Financial Services and General Government bill. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) has filed an amendment to that bill to rescind any unobligated funds and Burlison, Clyde and Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) want to prevent funds from being used to plan or build a new headquarters.

Reminder: House Republicans have already had one generally easier bill fail on the floor last week — and the bills they have left in a two-week sprint to the August recess will only get harder. (And see above for the latest chatter on the August recess.)

“They all have different hair. Whether it's the FBI in the FSGG bill or CJS and on and on. You guys know what the game is, but it's important for the appropriators to be able to get our stuff across the floor of the House so we can have a meaningful negotiation and a position of leverage if you will, with the Senate,” Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) said.

That other DOJ fight: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is currently still planning to bring a resolution to hold Garland in “inherent contempt” back to the floor next week after it failed because of GOP absences. If it passes this go-round, Republicans still expect the fight to ultimately end up in court.

— Jordain Carney

HUDDLE HOTDISH

Lawmakers across the ideological spectrum condemned Russia sentencing American journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison. “I call on the international community to join the United States in condemning this travesty, and in calling for Evan’s release,” Foreign Relations Chair Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said.

Class is in session … on the House appropriations process.

Chuck Fleischmann is taking a very expensive cab ride home from the RNC.

Former Rep. John Yarmuth is grabbing the bourbon for what he thinks could be the “most consequential weekend in American political history.”

QUICK LINKS

Wave of Hill Dems renews calls for Biden to drop out, from Mia McCarthy

‘This has been a distraction’: Senator Sherrod Brown says Democrats need to resolve Biden ballot talks, from Josh Croup in WTVG

Ocasio-Cortez Warns of ‘Enormous Peril’ if Democrats Push Biden Aside, from Nicholas Fandos in The New York Times

Speaker Mike Johnson is rising. And is about to beat McCarthy’s days on the job, from Ken Tran in USA Today

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TRANSITIONS

Christina Carr is joining the Economic Speakers Bureau as its first director. She previously was communications director for the Joint Economic Committee Dems, and is an SBA and Ruben Gallego alum.

MONDAY IN CONGRESS

The House is voting at 6:30 p.m.

The Senate is out.

MONDAY AROUND THE HILL

*crickets so far*

Trivia

THURSDAY’S ANSWER: Lidia Stiglich correctly identified that 17 states (and Washington, D.C.) have now adopted the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Maine was the most recent in April of 2024.

TODAY’S QUESTION: Which former congressman once won a silver medal in track and field during the 1968 Olympics?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@politico.com.

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