Dem Senate candidate allegedly turned down $20 million to challenge Rep. Tlaib
An AIPAC spokesman told Politico that the organization "was absolutely not involved in any way in this matter" and that Nelson had not contributed to the group in more than 10 years.
Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Hill Harper reportedly received an offer of $20 million to drop out of the primary and instead challenge Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
The alleged Oct. 16 offer reportedly came from Michigan businessman Linden Nelson, according to Politico. A source told the outlet that Harper rejected the offer, which would have included $10 million for his campaign and $10 million independent expenses.
"I didn’t intend for a private phone call to turn public. But now that it has, here’s the truth. One of AIPAC’s biggest donors offered $20m if I dropped out of the U.S. Senate race to run against [Tlaib]. I said no. I won’t be bossed, bullied, or bought," Harper later confirmed on X, commenting directly on the Politico article.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is pro-Israel lobbying organization. An AIPAC spokesman told Politico that the organization "was absolutely not involved in any way in this matter" and that Nelson had not contributed to the group in more than 10 years.
Nelson's call, however, came amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has scene Tlaib draw scrutiny from pro-Israel groups for backing a permanent ceasefire. Tlaib is of Palestinian background.
A member of the far-left Squad, she has been an outspoken critic of Israel's actions during the conflict and has even drawn accusations of supporting terrorism from Republican lawmakers. After her participation in a pro-ceasefire demonstration that saw protesters stage a sit-in at a Capitol Hill office building last month, Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said "Tlaib is a terrorist sympathizer and does not belong in congress!"
Harper, meanwhile, is still running to succeed the retiring Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.