What do you think? (AIPAC and 2020 candidates)

We're curious to know what you think about Democratic candidates for president attending the AIPAC conference.

Dear MoveOn member,

The 2020 Democratic presidential primary is well underway, and the candidates vying to be the next Democratic nominee will be making some serious decisions between now and the convention in July 2020.

In those moments, it's important to have our voices heard so that candidates know where MoveOn members stand. And, as candidates may be considering whether to attend the AIPAC conference this week, this is one of those moments.

AIPAC is a lobbying group. And over the years, AIPAC has become increasingly partisan and actively worked to hinder diplomatic efforts by Democrats including the Iran nuclear deal, undermine Palestinian self-determination, and invite some of the most hawkish speakers and those actively involved in human rights violations to its stage.

Here are a few examples: 

1. AIPAC spent tens millions of dollars in 2015 to defeat the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by President Obama along with our European and international allies. It was a historic diplomatic agreement that Trump has tried to derail since taking office.¹ 
   
   
2. This year's AIPAC conference is headlined by Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, under whose leadership, according to the U.N., Israel may have committed war crimes in attacks on Gaza.² Netanyahu has also been indicted on bribery and fraud charges,³ and he recently made a deal to bring the "Israeli KKK" ultra-racist party into the next government.⁴  
   
   
3. In 2016, while Trump was running a racist, xenophobia, and anti-Muslim campaign, he was given standing ovations by the conference attendees.  
   
   
4. AIPAC has also been known to peddle anti-Muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric while giving platforms to Islamophobes.⁵
   
   
5. AIPAC has refused to condemn the anti-Semitism of Republicans, such as Trump's friend and adviser Steve Bannon. Bannon's wife reported that he had their kids removed from a school because of "the number of Jews that attend" and that "he didn't want the girls going to school with Jews."⁶ While many groups condemned Bannon, Politico reported that AIPAC "declined to weigh in."⁷ 

Considering all of this, this year could be the year to make a difference and ensure Democratic presidential candidates don't feel the need to pander to an organization that has clearly shown it does not hold progressive values.

The survey below isn't a formal vote; it's just a way to get a sense of what you and other MoveOn members are thinking.

MoveOn Member Survey  Any progressive vying to be the Democratic nominee for president should skip the AIPAC conference.  Strongly Agree Agree Neutral or Uncertain Disagree Strongly Disagree

Thanks for all you do.

–Iram, Allison, Ilya, Matt, and the rest of the team

Sources: 

1. "AIPAC Spent Millions of Dollars to Defeat the Iran Deal. Instead, It May Have Destroyed Itself." The Nation, September 11, 2015 
https://act.moveon.org/go/63981?t=14&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

2. "U.N. report on Gaza says Israeli forces may have committed war crimes," The Washington Post, February 28, 2019
https://act.moveon.org/go/63982?t=16&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

3. "The Cases Against Netanyahu and a Decision to Indict," The New York Times, February 28, 2019
https://act.moveon.org/go/63983?t=18&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

4. "Netanyahu's election rivals merge as Israeli leader makes pact with extreme right," The Washington Post, February 21, 2019
https://act.moveon.org/go/63984?t=20&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

5. "How AIPAC Mainstreams Anti-Muslim Hate," The Nation, March 8, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/63985?t=22&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

6. "Anti-Semitic Trump campaign CEO Stephen Bannon not a big fan of 'whiny brat' Jews, ex-wife says," New York Daily News, August 27, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/63986?t=24&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

7. "Pro-Israel groups avoid denouncing Bannon," Politico, November 14, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/63987?t=26&akid=229506%2E10220574%2EHCwubk

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