41 Comments
User's avatar
Shaun King's avatar

It's wild to see a man that NEVER stumbles while talking just completely break like this.

Expand full comment
Alligator Kiss's avatar

Jordan Peterson did the same years ago when confronted with a similar topic.

Expand full comment
Cynthia A Ambrogne-O'Toole's avatar

Excellent piece. Indeed Every politician who wants the support and the votes of people who oppose the Genocide, Starvation, False Imprisonment, Ethic cleansing, and utter destruction of Gaza and the West Bank Must Stand with us. They must refuse any association with AIPAC and every other Zionist groups. They must oppose every attempt at universities, media companies, businesses, and so on to curb Free Speech with false claims of "anti-Semitism" censoring, firing, expelling those who speak up for Palestinian freedom and against support for Israeli government Genocide.

Expand full comment
Shaun King's avatar

Absolutely

Expand full comment
Rosalba Cofer's avatar

If in the 1960s JFK called for AIPAC to be a foreign agent just imagine what AIPAC is to our legislature now. AIPAC's tendrils reach far and wide. Candidate's use of their prepared statements, acceptance of their sanitized updates and trips and complete resistance to in any way tell the truth about AIPAC with the exception of a very few tells the story. If candidates refuse AIPAC and their money, they know they will be primaried and undermined.

Expand full comment
CD's avatar

That’s so ridiculous! He hasn’t heard AIPAC being mentioned in years??? What hole has he been living in? It’s been one of the main topics for at least the last 6 months.

Expand full comment
Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

In his answer he mentions JPAC at the 25 second mark. It would be worth following up on that. A search shows JPAC as The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California. Don't we want/need to know what is going on there?

Expand full comment
Shaun King's avatar

It’s AIPAC but just for California

Expand full comment
Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

And therefore someone needs to follow up with Newsom on that relationship.

Expand full comment
Coatlicue's avatar

See my comment above about AB715, which he just signed. The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California was one of a few groups that endorsed the bill. It was opposed by more many more groups and people, including The California Teachers Assn, California Faculty Assn, and the California Nurses Assn.

Expand full comment
Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Thanks. Seems like he definitely needs to be pressed harder and often on this.

Expand full comment
Catharine Farkas's avatar

Not true! Have you taken the time to read their statements?

Expand full comment
Catharine Farkas's avatar

I think JPAC is a great group! They are NOT AIPAC for California. They are anti-Netanyahu, pro two-state solution, against wanton killing of Palestinians, pushing for humanitarian aid to Gaza, against illegal West Bank settlements, etc.

Expand full comment
Catharine Farkas's avatar

Sorry, my fingers were faster than my brain. While I still don't think that JPAC is as bad as AIPAC, the group I was referring to is actually called JSTREET. They are a very liberal Jewish organization... trying to counter Netanyahu's destruction of Israel's democracy as well as speaking out for the Palestinians.

Expand full comment
Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

I went to their website and did not see any of those positions listed there. Please share a link to those positions so we can all learn.

Expand full comment
Motie Omari's avatar

Asalamu alaikum Shaun

Thank you for sharing this, and kudos to Van Lathan for the AIPAC money question. Similarly, kudos to the ladies who took Sen. Cory Booker to task if Netanyahu is a war criminal; he refused to say yes; what a shame.

https://www.newsbreak.com/mediaite-520570/4293415785446-what-in-the-actual-f-ck-cory-booker-confronted-on-aipac-cash-in-explosive-interview

Expand full comment
Donna Leavitt's avatar

There are many of us (oldsters, too) who did not know just what AIPAC was or how influential.

You have helped us to be better informed (on this as well as much about the middle east)

That s a great gift!

Expand full comment
Aisha's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. When Genocide Joe dropped out, I thought Newsom would have been one of the better candidates. After seeing this, it seems he’s just one and the same as all the rest. After these over 2 horrifying years, if any candidate takes AIPAC money or ANY money from Israel they will

NEVER get my vote or support.

Expand full comment
Chris D's avatar

Interesting

Expand full comment
Lor's avatar

Disturbing 😳

Expand full comment
Fran Carbonaro's avatar

Panic (!) was apparent in Newsom’s body language. I was part of a push in California to convince him to veto AB 715. He passed it and in doing so has lost a lot of support from young voters, as well as us older voters who have tired of his political games. And his willingness to cave to the Zionist lobby.

Expand full comment
Ella Rae's avatar

Thank you for revealing this about Newsome. He wants to be our next president but I will not vote for him or anyone else willing to take AIPAC money or support them in anyway. That's an excellent list of questions too. Good to keep in mind always!

Expand full comment
Mara Weiss's avatar

Thanks for bringing this to light. As a Californian I had hope that Gavin could be the charismatic leader to break the conservative facists hold on America, but now... its all a political game. What a ridiculous answer. AIPAC is in the public discourse now more than ever due to the genocide. Time to put pressure on the governor to come clean and renounce that blood money.

Expand full comment
Coatlicue's avatar

See my comment above about AB715, which he just signed. The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California was one of a few groups that endorsed the bill. It was opposed by more many more groups and people, including The California Teachers Assn, California Faculty Assn, and the California Nurses Assn. He's bought and paid for.

Expand full comment
Shaun King's avatar

Indeed

Expand full comment
Fran Carbonaro's avatar

trackaipac.com (follow the money)

Expand full comment
Carol-Ann Coleman's avatar

It takes a certain type of person to become a politician. Many of these people have flaws. Trying to appease and please

Expand full comment
Fran Carbonaro's avatar

Campaign money & votes

Expand full comment
Dosey Doe's avatar

Deflecting. They all take money from AIPAC. down to the local level. If he didn’t he would say no he doesn’t take money from AIPAC. Wait until he runs for presidency. He will definitely be taking it.

Expand full comment