Israel Lobby AIPAC Taking Congresspeople to Israel to Sabotage Iran Deal

CODEPINK Press Release

July 30, 2015

Contact: Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder, Medea@codepink.org

Alli McCracken, CODEPINK National Coordinator, Alli@codepink.org

Israel Lobby AIPAC Taking Freshmen Congresspeople on August Junket to Israel to Sabotage Iran Deal

Washington, DC –– While the Obama administration is trying to push through an historic nuclear deal with Iran to prevent another war, CODEPINK is appalled that the pro-war Israel lobby AIPAC (under their educational wing AIEF) is taking all but three freshmen Congresspeople to Israel on a propaganda tour to turn them against the deal.

“The Congressional recess is a time for elected representatives to be home in their districts, reaching out to their constituents, not taking propaganda trips to Israel on AIPAC’s dime,” said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK. “If our representatives want to earn more respect from the American public, they better prove that their allegiance is not to a foreign government or a group that lobbies on behalf of a foreign government, but to the citizens they are elected to represent.”

“AIPAC trips to Israel are designed to give congresspeople a one-sided view of the region, the view of Bibi Netanyahu,” said CODEPINK National Coordinator Alli McCracken. “With war and peace in the balance, perhaps the Congresspeople should take a side trip to Iran to get a more balanced picture.”

These are the Representatives going to Israel with the educational wing of AIPAC, the American Israel Education Foundation.

• Brad Ashford (D-Nebraska)
• Brendan Boyle (D- Pennsylvania)
• Kathleen Rice (D-New York)
• Gwen Graham (D-Florida)
• Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona)
• Pete Aguilar (D-California)
• Brenda Lawrence (D-Michigan)
• Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-New Jersey)
• Seth Moulton (D- Massachusetts)
• Mark DeSaulnier (D- California)
• Ted Lieu (D- California)
• Mark Takai (D- Hawaii)

CODEPINK representatives are available for interview.

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