* From a really well-researched Mother Jones article on Gov. JB Pritzker…
In some respects, Pritzker makes an awkward champion for a Democratic Party looking for a new direction. He is a billionaire in an electorate raging against oligarchy and a former AIPAC supporter at a time when support for Israel is plummeting. (A spokesperson for the governor said Pritzker had not donated to the group in “nearly a decade” and “believes the organization has abandoned its bipartisan principles and become a pro-Trump organization.”)
* Since the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is in the news a lot here lately in Illinois, I reached out to the governor’s campaign about that Mother Jones profile…
Q: So, what are the governor’s thoughts on AIPAC’s involvement in several Illinois congressional Democratic primaries?
A The Governor’s feeling on AIPAC’s abandonment of their principles remains the same. Just because they donate to certain Democrats doesn’t change the fact that they are heeding the words and direction of Jared Kushner and other Trump acolytes.
Q: Should those Democrats denounce the group?
A: The Governor has been clear about his own views. Other candidates can speak for themselves.
This could add an interesting twist.
- Anti-AIPAC Democrat - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 8:47 am:
Just endorse Daniel Biss, JB, and put an end to this nonsense in the 9th.
- Roadrager - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 8:48 am:
AIPAC just finished losing a race they dumped a ton of money into because the incumbent, who is pro-Israel, was not sufficiently deferential to the actions of the Netanyahu government. The incumbent lost, but whoops, the furthest left and most anti-AIPAC candidate won instead.
The kindest way to describe AIPAC in their current form is as a foreign influence group. If Pritzker somehow got the nomination in 2028, they would eagerly show their true colors.
- Torco Sign - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 8:57 am:
Pritzker is too afraid to say anything about Laura Fine because it would help Biss (he should probably get over 2018) and go against some of his biggest cheerleaders in the state legislature. Courage!
- not buying it - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 9:20 am:
The Democratic primary voters of the Illinois 9th Congressional District have perhaps the most informed and nuanced views in the world about AIPAC, J Street, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, US Foreign Policy, etc. It is laughable that outsiders (from the farthest right and farthest left) thought they could parachute in here and sell us jingoism and demagoguery, or at least it would be laughable if not for how deadly serious these issues are for us.
- P-Town Cynic - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 9:39 am:
-I would be interested to hear someone ask the Governor about how much money and support AIPAC has given his LG and Senate pick in response to these statements, and if that should disqualify her.-
I believe the second of Rich’s questions covered your inquiry.
- Mason County - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 9:42 am:
Pulled this from Wikipedia. =Findley lost his seat in 1982 to current United States Senator Dick Durbin who benefited from significant financial support from Israeli-aligned PACs, particularly AIPAC, which helped fuel his defeat. Findley was a cofounder of the Council for the National Interest, a Washington, D.C. advocacy group, and was a vocal critic of American policy towards Israel.=
And yes, I remember this.
So Illinois interest in Israeli/Palestinian politics goes back quite a way. Als interesting how things can change.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 9:45 am:
===about how much money and support AIPAC has given his LG and Senate pick ===
You have any proof of that or are you just “asking questions”? Because if it’s the latter, you’re not gonna last long here. And if it’s the former, then you need to explain.
- Angela - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 9:57 am:
Hopefully the Governor will create a new Democratic or bipartisan zionist organization that will be better than AIPAC and can fund and support moderate Democrats?
- deaddog - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:04 am:
AIPAC also just jumped hard into the race in the 7th. They put a couple million ad buy on Conyears-Ervin and appear to have abandoned Friedman. Its a baffling strategy - apparently AIPAC thinks Friedman is too closely identified with Israel so they’d prefer a less obviously pro-Israel candidate. But why pick MCE who carries the stench of corruption in her background? Or, maybe that is why!
- Irreverent - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:07 am:
Pritzker is a class traitor in the vein of FDR.
- deaddog - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:08 am:
I see no evidence in her filings that Stratton is getting AIPAC money through AIPAC or any of the PACs they control. I suspect that those rumors are coming from those who think the “AIPAC taint” is powerful enough to crush a candidate.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:08 am:
AIPAC has been an institution in this country for decades and since it is a largely identity based organization it can be difficult for folks who have historically supported the organization and been proud to be involved with the organization to notice when that organization has become a vessel for far right and authoritarian government principles.
=== bipartisan zionist organization===and support moderate Democrats===
Why on earth would a zionist organization exist to support moderate democrats? What about zionism is specifically moderate? What does zionism have to do with centrist positions that are the equivalent of European conservative positions? What is it to be a moderate democrat these days?
The gist of my question is can you explain what on earth this is supposed to mean?
===zionism===
Also — this term has benefited a lot by the intentional efforts to rebrand what it means. Can you define it for what you mean in this context?
Can a two state solution exist under zionism?
Does zionism require Israel to continue to have a single state sponsored religion?
Does zionism allow for everybody living within the borders of the country to have the same rights and legal protections?
Does zionism require accepting the ethnic cleansing that has already occurred in violation of international law? (Settlements is the nice term for this, I guess.)
Throwing around a lot of terms here that can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people.
- Walker - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:31 am:
AIPAC does appear to be floundering, but its political seas are fraught with ill tides. No surprise there.
JB has been steadfast in his values, and simply steers clear for now.
Candy: Good questions.
I took the comments on “zionism” and “traitor …FDR” as sumple trolling.
- Jack in Chatham - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:32 am:
@Mason County; Back in 1983 it looked like State Senator Phil Rock would be running against US Senator Chuck Percy in 1984. AIPAC type people approached Congressman Paul Simon and told him he polled #1 in their group. They told him if he would run, they would back up a truck of cash and fully fund his Primary. So encouraged, Congressman Simon threw his hat in the ring against his friend Phil Rock, won the primary and narrowly beat Incumbent Republican US Senator Chuck Percy in the General Election. This was a neat trick because President Reagan won big that year. The primary was a five-way race with Burris, Rock, Simon and a couple other guys. Simon won with 35% of the vote. I imagine Rich Miller is too young to remember this as I don’t think he was voting yet.
- deaddog - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:35 am:
Candy Dogood — Totally agree that definitions are everything. As a lifelong liberal/moderate Dem, American Jew, supporter of the concept of Israel, and harsh critic of religious fanatics, settlers and Netanyahu, I’ll give my answers:
Can a two state solution exist under zionism? Absolutely, yes. Oslo and all other 2 state efforts were led, on the Israeli side, by zionists
Does zionism require Israel to continue to have a single state sponsored religion? Yes, zionism requires a Jewish state - that is the inherent hypocrisy that us liberal supporters of Israel struggle with every day.
Does zionism allow for everybody living within the borders of the country to have the same rights and legal protections? Absolutely, yes. Prior to 2018 passage of the “Jewish Nation State Law” (a Netanyahu led abomination), it was pretty close to this ideal (as a matter of law, not necessarily as a matter of fact, somewhat similar to racial discrimination in US).
Does zionism require accepting the ethnic cleansing that has already occurred in violation of international law? (Settlements is the nice term for this, I guess.). Lots of assumptions and undefined terms built into this question - but the answer, or course, is no. Even today, roughly 35% of Jewish Israelis oppose the settlements.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:44 am:
===“traitor …FDR”===
I’m pretty confident that was meant to be a pro-Governor Pritzker statement. I don’t think it is a bad thing for the unimaginably wealthy Pritzker to be compared to the unimaginably wealthy FDR who went on to implement the new deal, create strong protections for labor and the working class, and caused a well spring of growth in the American middle class.
FDR’s Revenue Act of 1935 imposed a 75% income tax on incomes over a million dollars which would be about 24 million dollars in today’s dollars.
FDR was a class traitor. That was a good thing for most of us.
- Think Again - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 10:44 am:
= Just because they donate to certain Democrats doesn’t change the fact that they are heeding the words and direction of Jared Kushner and other Trump acolytes=
I guess when JB used the word “certain Democrats,” he meant most…
https://www.trackaipac.com/congress
- Taxman in Champaign - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:01 am:
Candy, The Carry-Trade tax dodge exempts Investment Bankers from the Income Tax. So the very highest income earners are not paying that top rate. Also, FDR created the Social Security tax system so Earned Income over $170,000 is exempt. In 1935 it was less but it is adjusted annually for inflation. Today 28% of Earned Income is Exempt from Social Security taxes which is why I say raising the age to claim Social Security to 67 was a huge ripoff.
- Long Time Lurker, First Time Commenter - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:07 am:
===I’m pretty confident that was meant to be a pro-Governor Pritzker statement.===
That was the first thing I thought of as well.
===FDR was a class traitor.===
Agreed. About a year ago I read a biography entitled “Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt”. That captures the essence of what FDR accomplished.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:13 am:
===Candy, The Carry-Trade tax dodge exempts Investment Bankers from the Income Tax. So the very highest income earners are not paying that top rate.===
Oh, I get that billionaires have become parasites on the backs of our civil society and that there are many millionaires and billionaires that are able to build massive wealth without having to pay taxes along the way.
- Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:13 am:
Anti-AIPAC Democrat: Who even knows what Biss’ position on the Middle East is? Remember Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and the whole BDS thing? Biss will take whatever position helps him the most in the moment.
- Skokie Man - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:18 am:
===
The Democratic primary voters of the Illinois 9th Congressional District have perhaps the most informed and nuanced views in the world about AIPAC, J Street, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, US Foreign Policy, etc. It is laughable that outsiders (from the farthest right and farthest left) thought they could parachute in here and sell us jingoism and demagoguery, or at least it would be laughable if not for how deadly serious these issues are for us.===
AIPAC is quite intentionally NOT selling jingoism and demagoguery in the 9th. They are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to run ads that have absolutely nothing to do with Israel and the Middle East while using PAC names that are anodyne and non-threatening like “Elect Chicago Women.”
The Fine/AIPAC ads will go negative soon, per local reporting from Matthew Eadie. But I expect them to stay in the lanes of her red box talking points.
The less this topic is discussed, the better it is for Fine. Lower information voters will not know that AIPAC is bankrolling all of these ads and will not link Fine to AIPAC’s broader Bibi-supporting agenda.
I really this this race will largely come down to how effective Biss is at defining the Fine/AIPAC ad blitz against her.
If Fine convinces voters that she is pro-Israel where Biss and others are not, she will win. If he convinces voters that Fine is pro-Netanyahu where he is not, he’ll win.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:24 am:
===Who even knows what Biss’ position on the Middle East is?===
Biss has a much more personal connection to Israel than the folks falling all over themselves to convince AIPAC to save their campaigns.
===Biss will take whatever position helps him the most in the moment. ===
Ignore the pivot in national, international, and Israeli politics over the last couple of decades at your own peril. If you want to prioritize elected officials that prioritize friendly relations with a right wing foreign government over our own best interest, go right ahead.
I’d just appreciate it if folks would stop presuming some kind of supremacy over others when they do it — though I am getting the impression that belief in supremacy over others is an important right wing distinction these days.
- I-55 Fanatic - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:26 am:
Like it or not, an anti-AIPAC posture will be the majority position on the 2028 democratic primary debate stage. Taking what Angela said a little further… AIPAC’s brand has been ruined for a generation, and pro-Israel lobbyists would be wise to prepare something new if they want to stay broadly relevant in Democratic politics.
- ALGINI - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:27 am:
As a voter in the 9th - I am so sick of hearing about AIPAC, Israel/Palestine. I get I fires certain people up, but wow - what an awful top issue to qualify a candidate based on when we have so many other massive challenges in the US and that I pact us locally.
- Proud Jew - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:31 am:
===Candy===
Your questions are framed in a way that presupposes your definition of Zionism. Even though I am 99 percent certain what I will say below will generate a hostile response, here goes—
The traditional definitional is a belief in the right of the Jewish people to self-determination and the establishment, support and protection of a Jewish nation in their ancestral homeland. The large majority of Jews would be considered Zionists under this definition. The pro-Palestinian movement has used social media and other tools to reframe the definition of Zionism in their own terms that are a far cry from what Zionists actually believe.
—-Can a two state solution exist under zionism? —- Absolutely and many Zionists do believe in two states
—-Does zionism require Israel to continue to have a single state sponsored religion? —- Most likely, but note this is not specific to Israel. Many countries where religious law and secular law are synchronized exist (various Catholic and Muslim countries, for example)
—-Does zionism allow for everybody living within the borders of the country to have the same rights and legal protections? —- In my opinion, Zionism doesn’t address this important issue. It’s an Israeli policy matter.
—Does zionism require accepting the ethnic cleansing that has already occurred in violation of international law? (Settlements is the nice term for this, I guess.) —- In my opinion, Zionism doesn’t address this important issue. It’s an Israeli policy matter.
Hope this helps!
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:34 am:
- o many other massive challenges in the US and that I pact us locally. -
Do you understand how many billions of our local tax dollars go to support what’s happening in Palestine? And some folks can walk and chew gum at the same time.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:34 am:
I stand with ProudJew. And I am disgusted with the “hot button issue.” This is a way to make a lot of people who have been proud Democrats leave the party.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:35 am:
===I imagine Rich Miller is too young to remember this as I don’t think he was voting yet. ===
I was 22 in 1984. I remember it well, thank you.
Also, I do know things about what happened before I was born because, you know, I read, etc.
Also, if you think 2026 is the same as 1984, you need to go take a nap.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:42 am:
People, while I appreciate some of the nuanced debate over Zionism, this post is about the governor saying AIPAC has become a “pro-Trump organization.”
We’d all be better off if you’d stick to that topic.
- Greene County - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:44 am:
FDR wouldn’t have gotten much done with the New Deal without the help of an Illinois Congressman named Henry T. Rainey…Speaker of the House.
Rainey gave the Roosevelt administration carte blanche to do whatever it wanted in its first 100 days starting in 1933, allowing almost the entire New Deal to be passed with little or no changes.
Rainey’s district was a mostly agricultural one affected hard by the Great Depression.
- deaddog - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 11:55 am:
I appreciate Rich’s herding us back to the topic (and understand why my lengthy discourse wasn’t posted!)
To the topic, however, I think that JB’s comment is 100% accurate - but I fear that it will be used by some to oversimplify the complex issue of Israel and Zionism in the context of American politics. What I mean is that one can believe in the Jewish state, oppose current Israeli policy, and still be a liberal/moderate, or even “progressive” Democrat. But too many people lump AIPAC/Zionism/Genocide (and maybe even Jewish) together into the same category of pro-Trumpers.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:01 pm:
Thank you Deaddog. I also have to imagine, and no fault of Rich’s, but this quote is hurtful to the Governor’s base on many levels, especially with the amount of support the Governor has given the Jewish community.
I can’t imagine this is a quote he would be happy about being out there too much.
- deaddog - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:10 pm:
I highly recommend the Mother Jones article - it is excellent. Among many interesting insights, this line stood out:
“He is not a class traitor—just a billionaire with a moral code locked in a struggle against a billionaire without one.”
- Rudy’s teeth - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:19 pm:
Glad to learn you’ll be around for a while as you’re way too young to retire. Keep writing as we all enjoy your erudite columns and remainders to stay on topic.
- Joseph M - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:22 pm:
“Like it or not, an anti-AIPAC posture will be the majority position on the 2028 democratic primary debate stage. Taking what Angela said a little further… AIPAC’s brand has been ruined for a generation, and pro-Israel lobbyists would be wise to prepare something new if they want to stay broadly relevant in Democratic politics.”
This is very true, and I’d even go further to say it’s the most common viewpoint for median voters in both parties.
It’s hard to think of buzzwords that have garnered more universal scorn since 2024 than “data centers” and “AIPAC.”
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
===I can’t imagine this is a quote he would be happy about being out there too much===
You’re of course free to imagine whatever you want, but, in the real world, he seems pretty firm about this.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:36 pm:
I am happy the Governor has come out against an organization that does not have the best interest of the Democratic Party or the USA at heart.
Israel and Palestine are 5,000+ miles away from here. You don’t need a Ph.D in international affairs to be wary about the issues. I think a lot of voters feel exhausted, like I do, about these discussions.
- deaddog - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 12:39 pm:
To clarify - I agree with JB that AIPAC has become pro-Trump and that AIPAC has been taken over by those who support the right-wing Netanyahu/settler/religious zealot wing of Israeli politics.
I also believe that those running AIPAC are either arrogant, or both, and that any AIPAC support of any Democrat is a huge negative for all Democrats.
I hope JB does not disavow his criticism of AIPAC
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 1:00 pm:
- I can’t imagine this is a quote he would be happy about being out there too much. -
As evidenced by his spokesperson stating it directly to a reporter. It’s not like they found his diary or something.
- Skokie Man - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 1:06 pm:
===As evidenced by his spokesperson stating it directly to a reporter. It’s not like they found his diary or something.===
*chef’s kiss*
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 1:12 pm:
===We’d all be better off if you’d stick to that topic. ===
Noted, Rich. I was specifically hoping to address the call for the Governor to create his own specifically zionist organization for the the specific purpose of supporting moderate democrats which I think is an odd expectation to place on the Governor for a number of factors.
I did not address that perspective directly.
- Dotnonymous x - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 1:19 pm:
Q. Is Jared Kushner our Shadow President?
A. Who knows?
- Dotnonymous x - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 1:23 pm:
- I think a lot of voters feel exhausted, like I do, about these discussions. -
Supine…
- Dotnonymous x - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 1:32 pm:
How can we convince people who believe their God has told them they are right are wrong?…get back to me with the answer?
- Dotnonymous x - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 2:00 pm:
I’m curious to know which commenters are left handed…just for my own edification.
I find brain lateralization fascinating and revealing in many ways.
- City Zen - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
“believes the organization has abandoned its bipartisan principles”
Like the ACLU.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 13, 26 @ 2:59 pm:
===Like the ACLU. ===
Lemme know when the ACLU has millions of dollars to spend on campaign advertising.