Estrich: Johnson plays partisan politics with Israel aid

“Hamas was just hosted by the Russians in Moscow. … I think breaking them out (aid to Ukraine) sends the wrong signal.” I’m not quoting Chuck Schumer, the pro-Israel majority leader in the Senate, but Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Graham has insisted that aid to Ukraine should be in the same package as aid to Israel.

Make no mistake. Johnson is not seeking to outdo Democrats in his support for Israel, although he is certainly not above making hay out of forcing Democrats to oppose an aid package for Israel alone. It is because his version of an aid bill to Israel conditions such assistance on cuts to the Internal Revenue Service, which saw an increase in its budget aimed at ensuring that corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes.

It’s a “nonstarter,” according to White House officials.

“Playing political games that threaten the source of funding for Israel’s self-defense — now and into the future — would set an unacceptable precedent that calls our commitment to one of our closest allies into question,” the White House press secretary said in a statement. “We cannot afford to jeopardize that commitment as Israel defends itself from the evil unleashed by Hamas.”

Cutting funding to the bogeyman IRS is a key item on the crazy right-wing agenda.

Forget about all the studies that say that fully funding the IRS is critical to cutting the deficit. This is not because more middle-class families will be audited; the purpose of the funds that were added to the IRS budget is to ensure that corporations and the wealthy pay what they legally owe.

But don’t tell that to Johnson, who wasted no time at all in steering the hard-right bandwagon, wrongly trying to convince middle-class taxpayers that they are the ones who will be paying the bill if the IRS budget isn’t cut.

The IRS has absolutely nothing to do with Israel. Tying the two together is popular with right-wing Republicans. Accusing Democrats of voting against Israel is a partisan trick, with no treat attached.

The House passed Johnson’s aid bill on Thursday in a partisan division that sends all the wrong messages.

“In my worst nightmares, I never thought I would be asked to vote for a bill cynically conditioning aid to Israel on ceding to the partisan demands of one party,” Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois told reporters. “I also never thought that a day would come that I would be asked to consider voting against an aid package for Israel, our most important ally in the Middle East, and maybe in the world.”

Schneider voted no, as did the Democrats overwhelmingly, in what turned out to be a 226-196 vote. Schumer said in advance that the Senate will not even take up the bill.

With Hamas vowing more attacks like the one on Oct. 7, the new speaker is sending the message that playing partisan politics comes first. Shame on him.