{"id":2575443,"date":"2026-03-03T05:38:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T10:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aipac-funded-democratic-leaders-buck-israel-on-iran-strikes\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T05:41:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T10:41:10","slug":"aipac-funded-democratic-leaders-buck-israel-on-iran-strikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aipac-funded-democratic-leaders-buck-israel-on-iran-strikes\/","title":{"rendered":"AIPAC-funded Democratic leaders buck Israel on Iran strikes"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Faipac-funded-democratic-leaders-buck-israel-on-iran-strikes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2575443&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Washington Examiner article reports that nine high\u2011ranking democrats publicly criticized U.S. strikes on Iran adn called for invoking the War Powers act to curb the president\u2019s ability to conduct further military actions, even though they and their campaigns have received nearly $9 million from AIPAC in recent years.The lawmakers named include Mark warner, Joe Neguse, Hakeem Jeffries, John Hickenlooper, suzan DelBene, Chris Coons, Cory Booker, Pete Aguilar, and Katherine Clark, who have voiced stern criticisms of joint American\u2011Israeli operations in Iran.AIPAC, which has urged taking a hard line against the Iranian regime, does not typically take positions on War Powers resolutions, but its backing and influence are highlighted as a factor in these Democrats\u2019 positions. The piece notes a split among AIPAC\u2011funded Democrats: some criticized the strikes or the manner in which they were carried out, while others offered more muted or conditional responses, with a few refraining from broad objections. The article also suggests that this dynamic could foreshadow a broader confrontation between Democratic lawmakers and pro\u2011Israel lobbying interests as election politics evolve.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">AIPAC-funded Democratic leaders buck Israel on Iran strikes<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1634162\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Several high-ranking congressional <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"249\">Democrats<\/a> have denounced U.S. strikes on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"100\">Iran<\/a> and vowed to rein in the president&rsquo;s ability to carry out further operations by invoking the War Powers Act. Their opposition to the attacks comes despite financial support from the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/aipac\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2620\">American Israel Public Affairs Committee<\/a>, which has come out strongly in favor of toppling the Iranian regime.<\/p>\n<p>Nine top Democrats &mdash; Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00438713&amp;committee_id=C00895219&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Mark Warner<\/a> (D-VA), Assistant Democratic Leader Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00648253&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Joe Neguse<\/a> (D-CO), House Minority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00503052&amp;committee_id=C00768200&amp;committee_id=C00834549&amp;committee_id=C00916429&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> (D-NY), Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00698258&amp;committee_id=C00716720&amp;committee_id=C00744599&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">John Hickenlooper<\/a> (D-CO), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairwoman Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00459099&amp;committee_id=C00833590&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Suzan DelBene<\/a> (D-WA), Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00475392&amp;committee_id=C00848432&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Chris Coons<\/a> (D-DE), Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00540500&amp;committee_id=C00734319&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Cory Booker<\/a> (D-NJ), Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00510461&amp;committee_id=C00747840&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Pete Aguilar<\/a> (D-CA), and Minority Whip Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00541888&amp;committee_id=C00831669&amp;committee_id=C00831917&amp;contributor_name=C00797670&amp;max_date=12%2F31%2F2026\">Katherine Clark<\/a> (D-MA)&nbsp;&mdash; have issued stern criticisms of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4476538\/israel-us-iran-conflict-launched-trump-khamenei\/\">joint American-Israeli operations<\/a> in Iran despite collectively accepting nearly $9 million from AIPAC in recent years, the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1H-sL548TZfyuEf692HPsfBwvEuXSwk2WUyatGpJU64I\/edit?usp=sharing\">found<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4476892\/manassas-mosque-remembrance-service-ali-khamenei\/\">Virginia mosque with alleged ties to Iran regime holds remembrance service for &lsquo;martyr&rsquo; Ali Khamenei<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4474492\/mainstream-professor-group-partners-with-dsa-to-unleash-anti-ice-chaos-on-campuses\/\">&lsquo;Create a crisis&rsquo;: Mainstream professor group partners with DSA to unleash anti-ICE chaos on campuses<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4474312\/dhs-released-illegal-border-crossers-despite-claims-zero\/\">DHS releasing some illegal border crossers into US despite claims of &#8216;zero&#8217; releases<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Senior Democrats breaking with AIPAC, despite their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/schweizer-pelosis-strong-financial-ties-in-china-keeping-her-from-investigating-covid-origins\/\" title=\"Schweizer: Pelosi&#039;s &#039;Strong Financial Ties in China&#039; Keeping Her from Investigating COVID Origins\">strong financial ties<\/a> to the organization, challenges widely held assumptions about the power AIPAC wields over the lawmakers it supports and sets the stage for a potential confrontation between Democrats and pro-<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"219\">Israel<\/a> interests.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the political contributions disbursed by AIPAC come from individual donors who use its website to select lawmakers endorsed by the group to support them financially. The interest group&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/candidates.aipacpac.org\/page\/featured\/\">website<\/a> makes clear that credit for the contribution goes to both the donor and AIPAC itself, thereby strengthening its ties with key officials by soliciting donations for them.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The chasm between some top Democrats and AIPAC is illustrated by their respective statements on the ongoing conflict in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/middle-east\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"102\">Middle East<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For years, the Iranian regime has posed a grave threat to the United States, to Israel, and to the world,&rdquo; AIPAC&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aipac.org\/resources\/us-strikes-iran\">statement<\/a> on the strikes reads. &ldquo;We commend President Trump&rsquo;s determination in ensuring that the world&rsquo;s leading state sponsor of terrorism will never acquire a nuclear weapon.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Clark, the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the House, meanwhile, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/katherineclark.house.gov\/press-releases?ID=E0DF6B90-51F7-45AF-AA87-813671B0E0F1\">insists<\/a> that &ldquo;families do not want another war&rdquo; and that the &ldquo;people of this country deserve better.&rdquo;&nbsp;Clark, notably, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wbur.org\/news\/2026\/01\/02\/massachusetts-clark-congress-whip-challengers\">faces primary challengers<\/a> from people on the Left who are <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTijpf_kZmQ\/\">critical of Israel<\/a>, highlighting her potential need for financial support from AIPAC.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>AIPAC-funded Democratic critics of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> intervention primarily criticize him for failing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-republicans-move-to-mandate-congressional-approval-for-new-iran-deal\/\" title=\"Senate Republicans Move to Mandate Congressional Approval for New ... Deal\">obtain congressional approval<\/a> beforehand, which they insist was legally required. While most agree that Iran is a malign actor on the global stage, many asserted that the choice to use military force against it was a mistake.&nbsp;Those that stopped short of categorically opposing military intervention, took issue with the way Trump carried out the strikes.<\/p>\n<p>Hickenlooper even <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hickenlooper.senate.gov\/press_releases\/hickenlooper-statement-on-u-s-military-action-in-iran\/\">implied<\/a> that Trump&rsquo;s decision to attack Iran had a political angle.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This unilateral action ignores most Americans&rsquo; desire to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >avoid endless foreign wars<\/a>, creating the distinct impression of a calculated distraction from his domestic failures including the economy, [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] violence, and the unreleased Epstein files,&rdquo; the senator said of the strikes.<\/p>\n<p>Clark insists, alongside basically all of the AIPAC-funded Democratic leaders, that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"31\">Congress<\/a> should invoke the War Powers Act to curtail the president&rsquo;s ability to command the military abroad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Doing so, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/28\/nx-s1-5730314\/house-dem-leader-jeffries-responds-to-air-strikes-on-iran-by-u-s-and-israel\">in the words of Jeffries<\/a>, would &ldquo;require that Donald Trump immediately terminate the use of any U.S. armed forces from any hostilities against Iran or any part of its government or military,&rdquo; effectively hamstringing U.S. efforts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;AIPAC has a longstanding policy of not taking positions on War Powers resolutions,&rdquo; a spokesperson for the organization told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;We appreciate the many Republican and Democratic senators and representatives who have long worked to stop the Iranian regime&rsquo;s nuclear and ballistic-missile programs and end its support for terror. As America and Israel work together to confront a shared enemy, we support our brave servicemembers and pray for their safety and success.&ldquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>included only House Democrats involved in leadership positions and senators in its analysis; however, a number of less senior AIPAC-funded Democrats also criticized the strikes on Iran.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Some Democrats who received AIPAC support were more receptive to the strikes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4462492\/foreign-agents-pump-cash-campaigns-2026-elections\/\"><strong>FOREIGN AGENTS PUMP LARGE AMOUNTS OF CASH INTO CAMPAIGNS AHEAD OF 2026 ELECTIONS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), for instance, refrained from criticizing the operation on its merits in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lieu.house.gov\/media-center\/press-releases\/rep-lieu-statement-israeli-strikes-iran\">statement<\/a> released after the strike, instead offering stock criticisms of Trump and his administration.&nbsp;Lieu, who is a prolific critic of Trump on social media, has yet to mention the Iran strikes on his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/tedlieu\">X<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepTedLieu\">accounts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Warner, Neguse, Jeffries, Hickenlooper, DelBene, Coons, Booker, Aguilar, and Clark did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AIPAC-backed Dems oppose Iran strikes, push War Powers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2575444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/100125_WEX_SHUTDOWN_JEFFRIES-63-e1759434173264.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33006,3685,3823,4671],"class_list":["post-2575443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-aipac","tag-democrats","tag-iran","tag-israel"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/100125_WEX_SHUTDOWN_JEFFRIES-63-e1759434173264.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2575443"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2575447,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575443\/revisions\/2575447"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2575444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2575443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2575443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2575443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}