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Ousted ‘squad’ member Cori Bush lashes out at AIPAC: ‘I’m coming to tear your kingdom down’

August 7, 2024 | | Print Article

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) did not gracefully accept defeat in her re-election primary on Tuesday.

Instead, the left-wing member of the “Squad” railed against a pro-Israel PAC that had helped fund her opponent, St. Louis County District Attorney Wesley Bell. In the tight Missouri race, Bush proved to be a sore loser when she became the second “Squad” member to be defeated, following Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)  losing his re-election bid last month.

Following her loss, Bush spit fire as she claimed that leaving Congress only “takes some strings off” and frees her up to do more.

“Because now, there are some strings that I have attached. And as much as I love my job, all they did was radicalize me, and now they should be afraid,” she said.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

“They’re about to see this other Cori, this other side,” warned the outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza. “There is nothing that happens in my life that happens in vain. So, this happened because it was meant to happen. And let me say, it’s because of the work that I need to do.”

“And let me say this: AIPAC, I’m coming to tear your kingdom down!” the two-term lawmaker vowed as the crowd cheered.

In announcing his campaign, Bell had criticized Bush for comments that he said showed “a lack of understanding of the nuance and complexities of an issue that’s literally hundreds of years in the making.”

Leftwing news outlet Sludge claimed almost “two-thirds of the Bell campaign’s funding” was raised by AIPAC. with its super PAC, United Democracy Project reportedly spending more than $7 million to oust Bush.

“I think we need to have a real conversation about the AIPAC,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said after Bowman’s loss.

“I think that what we do need to have a real conversation about is how a Republican — primarily Republican and largely Republican-financed — organization is playing and dumping money and playing an extremely divisive role in the Democratic Party,” said the New York socialist who won her primary the same night Bowman lost.

But AIPAC pushed back against claims, telling The Hill earlier this year that it’s “the largest PAC contributor to Democratic candidates.”

“Our political action committee supports the Democratic leadership and nearly half of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Black Caucus, and Hispanic Caucus,” AIPAC said in a statement. “In addition, our affiliated super PAC supported a number of Democratic progressive candidates in the last election cycle, who defeated anti-Israel candidates in their primary, won their general election, and are currently serving in Congress. We believe that it is entirely consistent with progressive values to stand with the Jewish state.”

Bush had been under investigation by the Justice Department, Federal Election Commission, and House Ethics Committee because of her husband being paid as a member of her security detail.

Social media users, including members of Congress, were more than happy with Tuesday’s results and were ready to shut the door on the progressive soon-to-be former congresswoman.

Frieda Powers
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