New York’s pro-Israel Congressmember Ritchie Torres (D-NY) has resigned from the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) over the October 7 war launched by Hamas against Israel, The Hill reported Wednesday.
Torres, who is no longer listed on the website of the caucus, is the second US representative to quit the caucus over the war. Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL) withdrew from the caucus in November.
Antisemitic vandals defaced Torres’ office and that of Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) in the final week of December (2023) for their pro-Israel stance.
“On Christmas Day, anti-Israel extremists vandalized my Bronx office with red paint, symbolizing blood.”
“Covered in ‘blood’ is a doll meant to symbolize Jesus, whom the vandals describe as a ‘Palestinian child messiah,’” Torres wrote about the attacks. “The escalation in intimidation and incitement against members of Congress feels like it is heading in a dangerous direction. I, for one, will not be intimidated.”
Several anti-Israel House Democrats known as The Squad have come under increasing criticism for their anti-Israel remarks.
Squad member Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), whose grandmother lives in the Palestinian Authority, self-identifies as a “Palestinian American” and has a long, disgraceful history of antisemitism.
Tlaib was the sole member of the House to vote “present” on Feb. 15 in an otherwise unanimous vote, 418-0, to pass House H.Res.966 condemning Hamas terrorists for the rape and sexual violence they perpetrated on Oct. 7, 2023.
