They may have fooled you (and themselves)!
On Monday, the Congressional Progressive Caucus released a letter signed by 30 members of the Caucus and addressed to President Biden, urging that he make greater efforts to pursue diplomacy (alongside military and economic support for the war).
But later that same day, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the Chair of the Caucus, issued a “clarifying” statement that “We are united as Democrats in our unequivocal commitment to supporting Ukraine ... and nothing in the letter advocates for a change in that support.”
“Diplomacy is an important tool that can save lies,” she continues, “but it is just one tool. ... [We] support President Biden and his administration’s commitment to nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
If that weren’t bad enough, the Caucus completely repudiated the letter on Tuesday!
Chair Jayapal: “The Congressional Progressive Caucus hereby withdraws its recent letter to the White House regarding Ukraine.”
“The letter was drafted several months ago,” she continues, “but unfortunately was released by staff without vetting.” (Some of the signers claim they had originally signed in June or July.) “Because of the timing, our message is being conflated by some as being equivalent to the recent statement by Republican Leader McCarthy threatening an end to aid to Ukraine if Republicans take over.” But the Congressional Progressive Caucus is full of good Democrats, “who have strongly and unanimously supported and voted for every package” of supplies and funding to continue the war.
