All the dirty laundry of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was fully exposed in the March 17 Illinois primary elections. AIPAC’s use of dark money, its shadowy shell super PACs, and its attempts to buy shill candidates, or intimidate opposing candidates, became headline news. Whether covering up genocide in Gaza or the corruption of the Epstein class, AIPAC is now widely viewed as a toxic influence in the American electoral process.
AIPAC’s biggest failures in the Illinois primaries were in the districts where it spent the most money. In the 9th congressional district on Chicago’s north lakefront AIPAC spent $5.7 million to elect its handpicked candidate, State Senator Laura Fine, but she came in a distant third place. The winner in this race was AIPAC’s top target, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who gave speeches exposing AIPAC. Biss said: “AIPAC found out the hard way: the 9th District is not for sale. May tonight be the last time I utter their name.” Coming out to defend Biss from the AIPAC attack ads were Jewish leaders such as Jeremy Ben Ami, head of J Street, who said on election night: “Tonight’s results should send a clear message to candidates across the country: You do not have to fear AIPAC’s spending or intimidation. Standing on principles and trusting voters matters more than outside money.”
Even inside AIPAC, there is outrage. One AIPAC member summed up the folly targeting Biss, telling Politico: “There was once again a vast amount of money spent and wasted trying to dust up a candidate who, by almost anybody’s reasonable analysis, Israel should be happy to have in Congress supporting a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.”
