AIPAC facing criticism for "racist" ad against Cori Bush

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)  is facing criticism for using an ad featuring an altered picture of US Representative Cori Bush of Missouri which some have described as racist.

The picture in question that was sent out to constituents shows Bush, a Black woman, with a jaw and forehead that are clearly elongated from the original, prompting questions over the motivations behind the move.

Bush's campaign has responded to the controversy, saying in a public statement, "it is shameful that in 2024 our communities are still being targeted with such blatant racism from political campaigns, let alone in a Democratic Primary." 

The statement continued, "the people of St. Louis deserve better than to see their first Black congresswoman racistly distorted into a caricature -- I shouldn't have to ask my opponent to condemn his biggest funders for putting out an ad like this and to apologise to the people of this district."

AIPAC, through its super PAC, the United Democracy Project, has dedicated around $7 million so far to defeat Bush in Missouri's Democratic primary on Tuesday by supporting her opponent, Wesley Bell, a former Republican campaign organiser. Bell's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Though AIPAC purports to be a single-issue lobby group, ostensibly supporting Israel, the mailer focuses on domestic policy, saying that Bush did not support President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan.

In fact, she and most other House progressives supported his original Build Back Better bill, but opposed a revised version with input from Republicans that included provisions favourable to corporations.

It is unclear why AIPAC would change the appearance of Bush in their PAC's mailer, given the backlash that has occurred when similar alterations of candidates' photos have come to light.

In the 2020 Georgia senate races, Republican opponents of Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, lengthened his nose in an ad; and in another ad, opponents of Raphael Warnock, who is Black, darkened his skin, leading to widespread accusations of exploiting cultural stereotypes.

In addition to the controversy surrounding the alterations, this photo of Bush, which came from the Missouri Independent, was apparently not approved for distribution.

"As a nonprofit news organisation we do not allow campaigns or political groups to use our photography,” said Jason Hancock, the editor-in-chief of the Missouri Independent, according to a report by the Intercept. "We would never give a PAC permission to use our photos, and doing so without our knowledge or permission violates our terms of use."

Days before the election, progressives are left feeling frustrated over a photo that they see as emblematic of a wider issue of a right-wing lobby group, largely funded by Republican donors, getting involved in Democratic primaries.

"In Wesley Bell's name, AIPAC is peddling racist caricatures to attack Missouri's first Black congresswoman in a disgusting new low, even for them," Usamah Andrabi, spokesperson for Justice Democrats, told The New Arab.

"Bell should immediately condemn these racist pieces of mail and apologise to the people of St. Louis for allowing his biggest financial backers to promote outright racism in this Democratic primary," he said.