‘Absolutely Disgusting and Unacceptable!’ Democratic Lawmakers Denounce Left-Wing Journalist for Calling Hakeem Jeffries an ‘AIPAC Monkey’

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Democratic lawmakers denounced left-wing Palestinian journalist Rula Jebreal for referring to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) as an “AIPAC monkey.”

Jebreal made the comment during a podcast interview with progressive commentator Wajahat Ali earlier this week, and it has since gotten traction on social media.

“He is a bought and paid by AIPAC monkey,” Jebreal said. “With all due respect — and I don’t mean it in a racist way. He is just basically an errand boy, and we’re done and tired.”

The Congressional Black Caucus promptly denounced the remark — and called out Ali for platforming it.

“To be clear, there isn’t a non-racist way to call Leader Jeffries—a Black man—a ‘monkey’ or ‘errand boy,'” the caucus wrote, in a statement on X. “@WajahatAli, this is what happens when we hold ourselves to such low standards for what’s allowable in our discourse—people get comfortable being openly bigoted. We have to stop platforming and trafficking in anti-Black racism, whether it’s on the political right or the left.”

Ali responded that he called out the remark in real time, and added, “Rula has unconditionally apologized for her words, regardless of the context or her intent. Hopefully, we can continue uniting in calling out fascism, racism, and all forms of hate.”

Jebreal, in a statement on X, wrote:

“I am disgusted and horrified that Hakeem Jeffries is taking money from AIPAC amidst Israel’s genocide in Palestine. That said, a term that I used to describe him was inappropriate and offensive and should never have been used. I apologize unconditionally.”

But Democratic lawmakers were furious.

“This is reprehensibly racist language that must be condemned,” wrote Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) on X. “Calling Leader Jeffries a ‘monkey’ and an ‘errand boy’… really? No subtext, no dog whistle, just easily going straight to ‘monkey.’ There must be zero tolerance for racism in our political discourse. Period.”

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) added, “Calling Leader @RepJeffries or any Black man a monkey or errand boy is absolutely disgusting and unacceptable under any circumstances.”

Other prominent Democrats condemned the remark as well:

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