Over 100 House Democrats voted this week to cut off U.S. aid to Israel — after pocketing nearly $11 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee since 2022.
A Washington Examiner analysis of Federal Election Commission records revealed that the 103 Democrats who supported ending aid to Israel have taken roughly $11 million from AIPAC through direct donations and earmarked contributions. Forty-eight of them actively solicited AIPAC’s support since 2022.
The stunning reversal came during a vote on Rep. Thomas Massie’s amendment that would have struck $3 billion in foreign military aid to Israel from the annual foreign affairs spending bill. The amendment ultimately failed — but the Democrat defections exposed deep fractures in the party.
“I will be voting yes, not because I agree with the entirety of the amendment, or the GOP’s cynical motivations for its consideration, but because I believe we must change course.”
That quote came from House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, the No. 2 Democrat in leadership. Clark broke ranks with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to support the Massie amendment — after taking $1.4 million from over 1,000 AIPAC-linked contributions.
Clark wasn’t alone. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi voted for the amendment after taking more than $19,000 from AIPAC. She said in a statement, “For the good of the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, it is clear that U.S. policy must change to attain that goal.”
Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a centrist Massachusetts Democrat who has taken heat from the online left in recent months, was one of the biggest AIPAC beneficiaries. He raised $1.9 million from direct and earmarked contributions.
Rep. Valerie Foushee rejected AIPAC’s support earlier this year while fending off a left-wing primary challenger who attacked her for accepting the pro-Israel group’s money. Foushee had received more than $850,000 from AIPAC. She voted yes on the Massie amendment.
House Oversight Committee ranking member Robert Garcia also voted to suspend aid to Israel after taking over 200 contributions totaling $145,700 from AIPAC.
One Democrat went the other direction. Rep. Pat Ryan voted against the Massie provision and vowed to return funds to AIPAC, though he didn’t specify how much. Records show Ryan has received $791,782 through AIPAC since 2022.
AIPAC moved quickly. The fundraising portals for Democrats who voted for the amendment were turned off on AIPAC’s website as of Friday. It’s not clear if any of the Democrats who received AIPAC money and voted for the amendment will return donations.
Jeffries pushed back hard against the narrative of party division. When asked Thursday if there was discord in his caucus over the amendment, the minority leader replied, “Absolutely not.”
In a letter to colleagues, Jeffries wrote that the amendment is “overly broad” and could limit “humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, peace-building and U.S. embassy operations.”
“While Democratic Members will make different decisions on this amendment in good faith, we are absolutely united in our shared goal of permanent peace.”
The Massie amendment targeted the $3.3 billion in annual foreign military aid Israel receives under the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. It did not touch an additional $500 million Israel gets each year in defensive weaponry, including Iron Dome missile systems.
A separate amendment to repeal that defensive funding attracted only four Democrats and two Republicans when put to a vote last year. Massie was one of the two Republicans.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this year that he supports phasing out American aid to Israel and wants to begin the process now.
Israel has become a fracture point in the Democratic Party as support among Democrats for the Middle Eastern ally has deteriorated rapidly in recent years, particularly on the left flank.
