AIPAC Donors Back Real Estate Tycoon Who Opposed Gaza Ceasefire for Deep-Blue Chicago Seat

Pro-Israel donors have thrown their weight behind a candidate vying to replace Rep. Danny Davis in Chicago, with $1.5 million pledged so far. Jason Friedman's campaign has attracted the attention of major pro-Israel groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC and its super PAC, United Democracy Project.

A former Chicago real estate mogul, Friedman was chair of government affairs for the Jewish United Fund from 2019 to 2024. The fund promotes pro-Israel narratives and took out two leading critics of Israel from Congress last year. Friedman has not made Israel a key part of his campaign platform but has attended an event hosted by the Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs, a pro-Israel PAC.

At least 35 AIPAC donors have backed Friedman's campaign, with eight donating to both United Democracy Project and AIPAC PAC. The total contribution from these donors is just under $2 million since 2021. Friedman has also received donations from Democratic Majority for Israel and To Protect Our Heritage PAC.

Friedman's opponents are criticizing his fundraising ties to pro-Israel groups. Former Rep. Marie Newman, who was ousted from Congress last year, said that receiving money from AIPAC donors who support genocide makes a candidate complicit in the issue. She is backing gun violence activist Kina Collins instead.

Friedman is one of 17 candidates vying for Davis's seat and has pledged to take on President Donald Trump on various issues. Friedman has not responded to requests for comment, but his campaign website outlines his support for strong unions, access to education, reducing gun violence, and job training and support.

The Chicago City Council narrowly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza last year, with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the tie-breaking vote. As chair of government affairs for the Jewish United Fund, Friedman signed a letter to Johnson from the group and leaders of Chicago's Jewish community, expressing their "appalled" response to the result.

The pro-Israel donors backing Friedman include gaming executive Greg Carlin, investor Tony Davis, and attorney Steven Lavin, who have all given significant sums to United Democracy Project. AIPAC did not comment on whether it sent an email encouraging supporters to contribute to Friedman's campaign.

Omg u guys I just can't even rn so I'm following this election in Chicago and this candidate Jason Friedman is literally getting a ton of money from pro-Israel groups which is like super sketchy imo but then he doesn't even mention Israel on his campaign platform lol what's the deal? anyway I just learned that one of his donors is Greg Carlin who is like a big gaming exec and he donated like $100k to Friedman's campaign meanwhile his opponent Marie Newman is all about gun violence and stuff which I can get behind so I guess we'll see what happens on election day

I'm a bit worried about this whole thing . It seems like Jason Friedman is getting a lot of money from pro-Israel groups, which could be influencing his decisions as a candidate. I mean, $1.5 million is a huge amount of cash, and it's not surprising that major groups like AIPAC and the United Democracy Project are backing him.

But what really gets me is how Friedman's opponents are saying he's "complicit in the issue" of genocide . That's a pretty serious accusation, and I think it's worth taking seriously. It's true that some pro-Israel groups have been accused of supporting or downplaying Israeli actions in Palestine, so it's natural for critics to question whether Friedman is too beholden to these donors.

At the same time, though, I do think it's interesting that Friedman has pledged to take on Donald Trump on various issues . That could be a game-changer if he can deliver on those promises. And it's also worth noting that Chicago City Council recently passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza – maybe this whole pro-Israel thing isn't as big of an issue there?

I'm kinda surprised by the big money backing Jason Friedman's campaign. Like, $1.5 million from pro-Israel donors? That's a lot of cash. But at the same time, I can see why they'd want to support someone who's got connections with groups like AIPAC and United Democracy Project. It's not like Friedman is running on a super Israel-first platform or anything, but still... $2 million from pro-Israel donors since 2021? That's some serious clout. And then you've got former Rep Marie Newman saying he's complicit in supporting genocide? That's a pretty strong accusation. I'm not sure what to make of it all...

I'm just worried about this, you know? All these pro-Israel donors throwing their weight behind Jason Friedman's campaign is kinda sketchy. I mean, he's got no major platform about Israel, but still they're pouring in millions of dollars. What's the real motive here? And 35 AIPAC donors backing him, that's just too many for me to be comfortable with . It's like they're trying to control the narrative or something. I don't think we should ignore this either, it's time someone started asking questions .

I'm low-key annoyed that pro-Israel donors are getting involved in Chicago politics. Like, shouldn't we be focusing on local issues rather than who's backing whose campaign? $1.5 million is a lot of cash for just one candidate... it's like they're trying to buy influence or something. And what's with the lack of transparency from Friedman himself? He doesn't even mention his pro-Israel ties on his campaign website, but then you find out he signed a letter to Mayor Johnson expressing his "appalled" response to a city council resolution... red flag, dude!

this is weird... $1.5 million from pro-Israel donors to a candidate running in Chicago? what's the real agenda here? are we talking about some kind of quid-pro-quo deal? i need to see the receipts on this one and what's up with Friedman not making Israel a key part of his platform? seems like just another way to buy influence. 8 donors from AIPAC PAC and United Democracy Project alone... that's a lot of clout and what about those $2 million contributions since 2021? who knows where that cash is coming from

I'm still trying to figure out how this world works . So these pro-Israel donors are backing this guy Jason Friedman for Congress in Chicago and I'm like, what's the deal? He's got $1.5 million from these groups already and they're all connected to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) which is super shady if you ask me . Like, 35 donors have backed him so far and eight of them have donated to both AIPAC and United Democracy Project. That's a lot of money coming from these groups.

I'm also worried about this guy Marie Newman who was ousted from Congress last year and she's like, "Hey, receiving money from AIPAC donors who support genocide makes you complicit in the issue." And I'm like, yeah, that's a fair point. It seems like Friedman is more interested in pleasing these pro-Israel groups than actually representing his constituents.

And what's with all these big names backing him? Like, Greg Carlin, Tony Davis, Steven Lavin... they're all super wealthy and influential people. It's like they're buying influence or something . I don't know about you guys but it seems like politics is just becoming more corrupt by the minute

Friedman's real estate background is shady . Who needs experience in governance when you're backed by a super PAC?

omg u think its sus that pro-israel donors r throwin money at this candidate tho like what else is he gonna do 4 us? but honestly, idk bout his stance on alot of thangs...dont get me wrong, i'm all 4 strong unions & gun violence prevention , but its weird how these pro-israel groups r just throwin money at whoever seems most likable & dont even wanna hear about the "genocide" thing...like whats th actual defnition of that tho?

I gotta say, this is a total wild card for Chicago politics . I mean, $1.5 million from pro-Israel donors? That's some serious cash . And the fact that they're throwing their weight behind Jason Friedman because of it? Okay, not cool, in my book . It feels like they're more interested in lining up a donor-friendly candidate than actually representing the people's interests.

And let's be real, Friedman's campaign platform is super vague . He's all about taking on Trump, but how's he gonna do that when his own donors are pro-Israel? It's like he's caught between two worlds and can't quite figure out which one to side with .

I'm not buying into the "strong unions" and "access to education" vibes either . That sounds like a bunch of empty promises from a candidate trying to appeal to both sides of the aisle. And what about all those pro-Israel donors who are basically writing his paycheck? How's he gonna balance that out with the average voter's interests?

I'm not predicting Friedman will win or lose, but I am saying that this whole situation stinks of corruption . Who knows what other strings are being pulled behind the scenes?

I'm so worried about this, it reminds me of when I was a kid and we used to get those letters from the "Save America Fund" asking for donations... Anyway, 1.5 million dollars is a lot of money, right? It feels like these pro-Israel donors are trying to buy off candidates left and right. I'm not saying Jason Friedman isn't qualified or anything, but it's just weird that he doesn't have Israel as part of his platform when we're already dealing with so many issues in the world... Like, I remember back in '09, we used to get those PSAs about hate crimes and how everyone was supposed to be equal... It feels like some things haven't changed much.

I'm really worried about the influence of big donors in our elections especially when they're tied to groups that are super critical of Israel's actions It's not just about money, it's about who gets to shape our politicians' views and decisions Friedman's fundraising ties to pro-Israel groups might be a red flag for some voters But at the same time, I think we need more people like him who aren't afraid to speak out against gun violence or take on big issues We just gotta make sure we're getting the whole story and not just what the donors are trying to sell us

I'm super concerned about the influence of pro-Israel donors in this election . It feels like they're using their power to shape our politicians' decisions and it's not okay . This is a classic case of money buying influence, and we all know how that can lead to some shady stuff . Friedman might be trying to spin his platform as inclusive, but if he's getting most of his funding from pro-Israel groups, it's hard to trust him on issues like gun control or job training .

I also think it's interesting that some people are questioning whether these donors' contributions make them complicit in supporting genocide . That's a really valid concern and we should be having this conversation about the impact of our donations on politics .

It's also worth noting that Friedman's campaign website sounds great, but we need to see more than just words when it comes to taking action on issues like gun violence or education . Can he actually deliver?

OMG , I'm getting super concerned about this news ! Like, $1.5 million from pro-Israel donors already and it's only the start . And what's even more worrying is that Jason Friedman isn't even making Israel a priority in his campaign platform . But wait, there's more! At least 35 AIPAC donors are backing him up ...which makes me wonder if he's really on board with everything Israel does .

I mean, I get it, pro-Israel groups can be super influential , but should we be worried that candidates are getting a little too cozy with them? It feels like they're using these funds to buy influence rather than actually listening to the people they're supposed to represent . Anyway, this is some heavy stuff ...stay vigilant, Chicago!

"The perception of reality is determined by a person's understanding and interpretation of their environment." It seems like these pro-Israel donors are setting the tone for Jason Friedman's campaign, influencing his stance and platform . With $1.5 million pledged so far, it's clear that his opponents' concerns about his fundraising ties to pro-Israel groups are being taken seriously .

omg yaaas i'm low-key surprised that pro-Israel donors are throwin' cash at Jason Friedman's campaign like, he's def got some major connections but isn't he a bit too cozy with the AIPAC crew for comfort? his opponents are hella right tho - gettin money from pro-genocide groups is straight up problematic. Kina Collins is my new favorite candidate gotta love a person who's all about gun violence reform & takin on Trump what's good Chicago?!