As we've been covering at length, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) is likely to lose his primary next Tuesday against Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Past comments come back to haunt Bowman, including how he claimed last November it was "propaganda" and "a lie" to say that Hamas terrorists raped women when they perpetrated their attack on October 7 against Israel. The vulnerable congressman has once more apologized, as POLITICO covered on Thursday morning.
NEW: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) has apologized for calling Hamas’ sexual violence against Israeli women on Oct. 7 “propaganda” and “lies.” “I apologize for my comments and now we’re continuing to do the work to fight sexual violence and domestic violence.” https://t.co/ETA5GFqye3 pic.twitter.com/gKcxhM26iv
— Daniel Lippman (@dlippman) June 20, 2024
Per their New York Playbook:
SAYING SORRY: Bowman apologized this week for calling Hamas’ sexual violence against Israeli women on Oct. 7 “propaganda” and “lies.”
Bowman, the left-leaning Democrat facing the prospect of defeat next week, said in response to a WNYC caller, “Immediately when the UN provided additional evidence, I voted to condemn the sexual violence. I apologize for my comments and now we’re continuing to do the work to fight sexual violence and domestic violence in all its forms.”
After POLITICO first reported on the comments he made at a pro-Palestinian rally last November, Bowman condemned Hamas and said he “always stand[s] against sexual violence in all forms” but didn’t apologize at the time. His initial comments have been used in several attack ads and mailers. — Daniel Lippman
In what world is Bowman merely a "left-leaning Democrat," especially when he and other members of the Squad are more accurately far-left? This is especially on display when it comes to support for our ally in the Middle East, with Squad members taking particularly anti-Israel positions.
Note also how Bowman "didn't apologize at the time," which is in reference to how he was approached by POLITICO on the steps of the Capitol but wouldn't speak to the issue back in late March. Rather, his office later provided a statement to the outlet apologizing for such remarks.
He's the Democrats' Todd Akin -- and I have to think, if he were a Republican who went around publicly and loudly denying rape, there would be unequivocal denunciations in the mainstream press.
— Adam Rubenstein (@RubensteinAdam) June 20, 2024
Politico calling Jamaal Bowman “left-leaning” is the absolute state of the press. https://t.co/TnxTgP7YrL
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) June 20, 2024
Bowman made his remarks in the middle of November at an event calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The comments, in which Bowman cast doubt on how Hamas terrorists had raped women during their October 7 attack against Israel, were not unearthed until late March. While more reports have since come forth about such atrocities, there was plenty of evidence about the rapes when Bowman spoke at the event.
SCOOP: In the weeks after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) not only publicly cast doubt on reports that Israeli women were raped, but also called those accusations “propaganda,” according to a previously unreported post on TikTok. https://t.co/Vb2dJdUgcK pic.twitter.com/DpXqRmcBS2
— Daniel Lippman (@dlippman) March 26, 2024
As Bowman referenced in his apology to the WNYC caller in the conversation mentioned by POLITICO above, he joined with almost all of his fellow House members voting in February to pass a resolution condemning the sexual assault and rapes committed by Hamas. Only Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), a fellow Squad member, did not vote for the resolution, and instead voted "present."
Bowman was also on the Wednesday episode of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," whereas NewsBusters aptly put it in their headline, "Colbert Helps Bowman Sanitize His History Of Spouting Hamas Propaganda."
When Colbert asked Bowman to "clarify where you stand and do you understand why some people have gotten upset about what you said," the congressman offered in part that "yes, October 7th was incredibly traumatic. It was a war crime, it was a terrorist attack. We condemned it right away because they killed innocent civilians. It was horrible."
"However, the response has been collective punishment and tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and that's why we called very early on for a ceasefire and for us a permanent cease-fire, it means stop the fighting, release the hostages, get humanitarian aid in there because famine is setting in and children are starving to death, and please, please, please, let's find a pathway to peace," Bowman went on to say as part of his response, also going after Israel as he has done so.
Colbert sanitizes Bowman's (he called reports of Hamas raping women "propaganda") history of anti-Semitism, "Your opponents have criticized your opposition to U.S. support for Israel’s military response... do you understand why some people have gotten upset about what you said." pic.twitter.com/qfvnad6hbm
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) June 20, 2024
Latimer leads Bowman by double digits in internal and non-internal polls and also enjoys endorsements from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), Hillary Clinton, and former Rep. Mondaire Jones.
Bowman is meanwhile supported by fellow Squad members, especially Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), both of who are campaigning for him on Saturday. With particularly looney takes on the primaries and money being spent in the race amounts to a supposed "core threat to democracy," it'll be interesting to see if such support from AOC is enough to make a difference.