Pro-Israel donors are backing real estate tycoon Jason Friedman's bid to replace Illinois Rep. Danny Davis in the March Democratic primary, with over $1.5 million of his campaign funds coming from major funders of pro-Israel groups. Friedman, a former Chicago real estate mogul, has not made Israel a part of his campaign platform but has drawn support from influential pro-Israel donors.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its super PAC, United Democracy Project, have contributed over $2 million to Friedman's campaign since 2021, including significant donations from high-profile figures such as gaming executive Greg Carlin and investor Tony Davis. Several AIPAC-backed donors have also given six or five-figure contributions to Friedman's campaign, with a total of just under $2 million.
Former Rep. Marie Newman, who was ousted from Congress in 2022 after receiving support from pro-Israel donors, criticized Friedman for the influx of cash from AIPAC and its affiliates. "If you're taking money from people who are supporting a far right-wing government that is executing a genocide, what does that say about you?" she said.
Friedman's campaign has taken in large donations from several high-profile figures with ties to AIPAC, including Miami Beach biotech executive Jeff Aronin and Chicago marketing founder Ilan Shalit. Friedman himself has contributed $36,750 of his own money to his campaign.
Critics argue that accepting funds from pro-Israel groups that support Israel's actions in Gaza is inconsistent with many Democrats' positions on the issue. "You could be the nicest person in the world," said Newman, "but if you're taking money from people who are supporting a far right-wing government that believes in genocide and is executing a genocide, what does that say about you?"
Friedman's campaign has maintained it is not taking a stance on Israel's actions in Gaza. However, his acceptance of funding from influential pro-Israel donors has raised questions about the extent to which he may be swayed by such support.
The influx of cash from AIPAC and its affiliates has also drawn attention to the long-standing ties between Chicago's Jewish community and pro-Israel groups. Last year, the Chicago City Council narrowly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the tie-breaking vote.
Friedman's campaign is running largely on taking on President Donald Trump on issues from healthcare to education and the economy. His donors have contributed significantly to his campaign, but critics say that this funding may come at the cost of his independence on key policy issues.
The campaign of Friedman, who has not made Israel a part of his platform, highlights the deep divisions within Chicago's Jewish community over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its super PAC, United Democracy Project, have contributed over $2 million to Friedman's campaign since 2021, including significant donations from high-profile figures such as gaming executive Greg Carlin and investor Tony Davis. Several AIPAC-backed donors have also given six or five-figure contributions to Friedman's campaign, with a total of just under $2 million.
Former Rep. Marie Newman, who was ousted from Congress in 2022 after receiving support from pro-Israel donors, criticized Friedman for the influx of cash from AIPAC and its affiliates. "If you're taking money from people who are supporting a far right-wing government that is executing a genocide, what does that say about you?" she said.
Friedman's campaign has taken in large donations from several high-profile figures with ties to AIPAC, including Miami Beach biotech executive Jeff Aronin and Chicago marketing founder Ilan Shalit. Friedman himself has contributed $36,750 of his own money to his campaign.
Critics argue that accepting funds from pro-Israel groups that support Israel's actions in Gaza is inconsistent with many Democrats' positions on the issue. "You could be the nicest person in the world," said Newman, "but if you're taking money from people who are supporting a far right-wing government that believes in genocide and is executing a genocide, what does that say about you?"
Friedman's campaign has maintained it is not taking a stance on Israel's actions in Gaza. However, his acceptance of funding from influential pro-Israel donors has raised questions about the extent to which he may be swayed by such support.
The influx of cash from AIPAC and its affiliates has also drawn attention to the long-standing ties between Chicago's Jewish community and pro-Israel groups. Last year, the Chicago City Council narrowly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the tie-breaking vote.
Friedman's campaign is running largely on taking on President Donald Trump on issues from healthcare to education and the economy. His donors have contributed significantly to his campaign, but critics say that this funding may come at the cost of his independence on key policy issues.
The campaign of Friedman, who has not made Israel a part of his platform, highlights the deep divisions within Chicago's Jewish community over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
... accepting donations from pro-Israel groups that support israel's actions in gaza can be really tough on democratic values 
... i feel like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place, where do we draw the line? 
... it's not about being right or wrong, but about staying true to ourselves and our community 
... i'm all for taking on president trump on issues that matter, but let's make sure we're not compromising our values in the process 
... the fact that chicago's jewish community is divided over this issue is heartbreaking 
he's not even talking about Israel in his campaign but still gets $1.5 million from AIPAC 
anyway, if you're gonna take money from people who support a government that's like " genocide much?" 
what does that say about your values, dude? 
. We shouldn't be too quick to judge someone by the company they keep 
.
like why is it that pro-Israel donors are backing Jason Friedman's campaign? it seems like they're trying to influence him to take a stance on Israel's actions in Gaza... 
. It's like they're trying to buy influence 
.
What's next? Are these donors gonna start telling Friedman how to vote on healthcare or something? 
That's not democracy, that's just rich people pulling strings 
I feel bad for Marie Newman too 
. She got roasted by her own party members for speaking out against pro-Israel donors 
. It's like they're silencing people who care about the issues that matter most 
.
. Let's keep our politicians accountable and not let money buy their loyalty 
.
.
. We need to separate the money from the policy positions here 
And former Rep Marie Newman had some good points about this too. If you're not even taking a stance on the issue, then why are you accepting funds from people who have strong opinions? 
I'm kinda worried about Jason Friedman's campaign 
. It's like they're putting their two cents into the pot 
, but not when it comes at the cost of our values