Trailing in Polls, Cori Bush Embraces Group That Blamed Israel for Oct. 7 Attack
Rep. Cori Bush (D., Mo.) is taking a page from colleague Jamaal Bowman's (D., N.Y.) playbook, embracing fringe allies on the Democratic Party's far-left wing as her electoral prospects dim.
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Rep. Cori Bush (D., Mo.) is taking a page from colleague Jamaal Bowman's (D., N.Y.) playbook, embracing fringe allies on the Democratic Party's far-left wing as her electoral prospects dim.
Bush on Tuesday touted support for the anti-Israel group Progressive Jews of St. Louis (ProJoSTL) and shared a letter from the group, which promoted the "Squad" member and attacked her primary opponent, St. Louis prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell. Bush also posed for a photo with the group at her January campaign kickoff.
The Missouri congresswoman quoted the letter on X, writing, "The flames of war being fanned by this Israeli government only continue to wreak havoc and bring needless suffering; if we allow this election to be bought & Bush's opponent to take office, he will do nothing to stop the violence." She encouraged her followers to read the rest of the letter.
ProJoSTL's first post reacting to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel called the assault "not unprovoked" and said Gaza residents would face "disproportionate destruction" compared with Israelis' suffering. It didn't mention Hamas.
"Progressive Jews of St. Louis (ProJoSTL) continues to stand in solidarity with Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation," ProJoSTL wrote in an Oct. 9 post. "We also understand the attacks on Israel are not unprovoked. For 16 years, Gaza has operated as an open-air prison under Israel's siege. For 75 years, Palestinians have endured the trauma of occupation and apartheid."
"Oppression is violent and breeds violent resistance," the group added. The post also criticized the United States for its alliance with Israel.
Local rabbis, meanwhile, threw their support behind Bell, accusing Bush of "fanning the flames of antisemitism" and exhibiting "little outrage against the horrendous attacks" on Oct. 7. Bowman faced similar accusations, relied on anti-Israel groups, and ultimately lost his primary election last month.
In the letter Bush shared, ProJoSTL accused the rabbis of mischaracterizing the Missouri Democrat's record and praised her for describing Israel as an "apartheid state" and calling for a ceasefire.
"There is no evidence of Bush exhibiting hostility towards Jewish people or the Jewish faith," the group wrote.
Bush, who conflated Iran's April air assault on Israel with the Jewish state's strikes on terrorists, attended a fundraiser whose hosts praised Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack, with one calling it "a desperate act of self-defense."
ProJoSTL is just the latest anti-Israel group that Bush—down 23 points in a CCA Action Fund poll published Sunday—has leaned on for support. Other progressive groups that routinely downplay Hamas's terrorism, including RootsAction, the Working Families Party, and IfNotNow, in May partnered with Justice Democrats—a far-left group aligned with the "Squad"—to help fundraise for Bush.
"Our progressive leaders are fighting for us against corporate interests who seek to keep power in the hands of the wealthy few. That's why they're all-in on @JamaalBowmanNY & @CoriBush," Justice Democrats wrote in a post in May.
RootsAction, for example, blamed Israel for Hamas's Oct. 7 attack, citing "cruel Israeli occupation and expansionism" as the "root" of the violence. IfNotNow in 2020 said the belief that Hamas is "directly and fully responsible" for the economic and infrastructural plight in Gaza is a "myth." The group later admitted that Hamas "plays a role."
ProJoSTL, meanwhile, posted photos with Bush at her January primary campaign launch. Attendees held signs that read "Jews for Cori" and "Palestinians for Cori."
The group campaigned for Bush as recently as Sunday.
ProJoSTL, which did not return a request for comment, promotes "educational resources" on its social media accounts. The list includes an Al Jazeera post, "Palestine and Israel: Mapping an annexation," which describes Israel's existence as an "occupation." The IDF killed Al Jazeera journalist-turned-Hamas terrorist, Abdallah Aljamal, during a June mission to free three hostages he was holding in his home.
In July, Bush celebrated steering nearly $1 million in taxpayer money to a youth nonprofit led by Farrakhan Shegog, an anti-Semitic activist who said Israelis are not "real Jews" and that "the ones who crucified Jesus" rule Israel. Shegog in October expressed support for Bush on social media and encouraged others to donate to her campaign.
Bush, who did not return a request for comment, will face Bell at the ballot box on Aug. 6.
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