General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Criticizing AIPAC is not anti-Semitic and it's absurd that this even needs to be said. [View all]packman
(16,296 posts)WHILE IT IS TRUE AIPAC is limited in what it can spend on direct lobbying, it spends the majority of its funds on directing and pointing congresspeople to groups that support AIPAC and Israel views influencing them and having them spend their funds on them. In other words, it acts as a funnel - and that is wrong--
From source cited below:
"AIPAC itself does not make political contributions and is in fact legally prohibited from doing so. Instead it uses its considerable resources ($3 million annual lobbying budget) to link current and aspiring members of Congress with pro-Israel donors. AIPACs projection of invincibility encourages political candidates and officeholders to accept pro-Israel contributions or risk seeing those funds go to their opponents. For example, former Congressman Paul Findley and former Senator Charles Percy lost their seats for failure to adhere to the AIPAC line.
A 2016 article on that deceitful practice - smoke and mirrors
https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/03/22/the-best-congress-aipac-can-buy/