Summer Lee Under FIRE After Her Office Is Directly Linked To BIG Scandal
In November, we highlighted the plight of certain members of the so-called Hamas Caucus, who were imploring House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to intervene in the face of robust criticism of their anti-Israel rhetoric.
This plea came in the wake of the announcement that they would face formidable primary challengers in 2024.
One such member facing a primary challenge is Representative Summer Lee (D-Pa.). Lee, along with her Squad colleagues, has been under scrutiny since the war instigated by Hamas against Israel commenced on October 7th. Despite representing the 12th Congressional District, which boasts a significant Jewish population and is home to the Tree of Life Synagogue, Lee was among the first to join the call for an immediate ceasefire.
Furthermore, Lee's numerous anti-Israel remarks have led Jewish leaders in her district to express concern that she has crossed into antisemitic territory, with seemingly no possibility of retraction.
Amid the barrage of criticism, Lee has remained conspicuously silent following Tuesday's revelation that the individual behind the popular D.C.-based "Dear White Staffers" Instagram account is linked to her office. The account, initially a platform for overworked and underpaid Hill staffers to air their grievances, morphed into an anti-Israel forum after October 7th.
The Jewish Insider (JI) reported that the account was linked to a staffer in Lee's office, who was an early critic of Israel's war against Hamas. The staffer faced backlash for planning to attend a gala with speakers known for their antisemitic and homophobic comments. Lee withdrew from the Council on American Islamic Relations event following criticism from other Pennsylvania Democrats, including Governor Josh Shapiro.
Multiple sources confirmed to JI that posts on the Dear White Staffers account and the personal social media account of the Lee staffer placed the two accounts in the same location in Los Angeles simultaneously. JI has seen screenshots of the posts in question. Several Democratic staffers described the identity of Dear White Staffers as an open secret among a growing number of Hill staff.
The Lee staffer was identifiable, though masked, in a photo from a ceasefire protest on Capitol Hill, promoted by the Dear White Staffers account. The account's posts about the length of their tenure on Capitol Hill align with that of the Lee staffer.
Lee's office did not respond to media inquiries from the Jewish Insider. Although JI did not directly identify the staffer in question, Free Beacon named Philip Bennett, operations director for Rep. Summer Lee, as the individual behind the account.
Bennett was arrested in October during his participation in an anti-Israel protest on Capitol Hill, where demonstrators occupied an office building to demand an immediate ceasefire. Bennett stated that he joined the protest spontaneously and thanked the organizers for making him feel "seen, at peace, and validated."
Bennett previously worked for Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), known for her antisemitic views.
While the actions of staffers cannot always be attributed to their employers, it is clear that Lee's office has fostered an environment where open disdain for Israel, crossing the line into antisemitism, is deemed acceptable by at least one of her staffers.
Coupled with her early demand for an unconditional ceasefire, her close alliance with the Hamas Caucus, and her inflammatory rhetoric about Israel, the emerging staffer issue is set to create further challenges for Lee in the April primary. She is due to face off against businesswoman and Edgewood Borough Council member Bhavini Patel, who has faced intimidation tactics from Lee's supporters and staff since announcing her candidacy in October.
Jewish Insider has linked the popular ‘Dear White Staffers’ account to a staffer for hard-left Rep. Summer Lee
https://jewishinsider.com/2024/03/dear-white-staffers-instagram-capitol-hill-israel-hamas/
Original Online Source: https://www.blabber.buzz/conservative-news/1056457-summer-lee-under-fire-after-her-office-is-directly-linked-to-big-scandal