Kesher Talk

Out-of-state Jewish money and controversy in Alabama continues: Roll Call reports a spat between the Congressional Black Caucus and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, because the DCCC is reluctant to support incumbent Rep. Earl Hilliard. Hilliard is anti-Israeli and his Democratic primary opponent, Artur Davis, is pro-Israel.

The leadership sent out a letter Tuesday urgently encouraging Caucus members to contribute $1,000 to Hilliard's campaign. Conspicuous among those who didn't sign, however, were DCCC Chairwoman Nita Lowey (N.Y.) and Rep. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.), a CBC member who chairs the DCCC's board of directors.

The letter grew from a tense, two-and-a-half-hour meeting convened by leadership last week where Lowey, Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) and other members of leadership laid out the DCCC's position and listened to the concerns of CBC members.

Participants said the meeting laid bare the mounting frictions between black and Jewish Members. At one point, according to the sources, Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), a senior member of the CBC, threatened that if "outsiders" are permitted to choose the membership of the Black Caucus, members of the CBC would retaliate by fighting aid to Israel.

posted by Howard @ 6/13/2002 11:25:09 AM