A pro-Israel rally in the heart of the Atlanta Jewish community Tuesday drew thousands of Georgians, and dozens of elected officials, to express support for the Israeli people after the shock invasion by Hamas massacred hundreds of civilians.
But there was a deeper subtext to the calls for unity from a litany of community leaders who warned the crowd in Sandy Springs of the long, bloody and brutal war ahead that will test the strength of the U.S. alliance with Israel and, most likely, require significantly more congressional aid.
“We are at war. Not of our choice, but one that was forced upon us,” said Anat Sultan-Dadon, the Israeli consul general for the Southeast U.S. “We will do everything necessary in order to protect our country and our citizens, as is the right and duty of any sovereign nation.”
The rally, held at City Springs, put on display the bipartisan coalition of support that the Jewish community has forged in Atlanta. Attendees included Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a Democrat; Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican; and more than a dozen state legislators.
Credit: Jenni Girtman for the AJC
Credit: Jenni Girtman for the AJC
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp taped a video message and Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff sent an emissary because he is in China with a congressional delegation. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, also a Democrat, drew the only tepid reaction from the crowd for a taped prayer for peace that didn’t specifically condemn Hamas, which invaded Israel on Saturday.
A political battle looms. While most Republicans offer full-throated support for Israel in ways they haven’t for Ukraine, their commitment could be put to the test in the coming days.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, a Republican, drew the loudest ovation as he urged leaders to maintain unflinching support to Israel for the long haul.
“Evil cannot be appeased,” said Paul, who added: “If history has taught us anything, it’s that the only answer to evil is to destroy it.”
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Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
RESOLUTION PENDING. A U.S. House resolution condemning the Hamas attack on Israel has nearly 400 cosponsors.
Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Pooler, was among the vast majority of lawmakers who signed onto the resolution.
“Our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel, is under attack by Hamas terrorists. Now is the time for the United States to again express our unequivocal support of the Israeli people and state,” Carter said in a statement. “Israel will respond swiftly and decisively with full backing from the United States to bring about total victory against their enemies.”
More names could be added to the resolution. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, was not among the original round of 390 cosponsors, but her office said she planned to sign on.
The resolution is sponsored by Rep. Mike McCaul of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, and the panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York.
Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, and her fellow co-chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations released a statement condemning the attacks. They also urged American law enforcement to guard against anti-Semitic attacks in the United States.
“We stand with Israel and our hearts go out to the families and communities affected by the senseless acts of terrorism and hope to see a swift and safe return of those held hostage,” they wrote. “The bond between the United States and Israel is, and will always be, ironclad.”
In addition to Williams, the other co-chairs are Reps. Wesley Hunt, a Texas Republican, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat.
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LISTEN UP: The latest episode of the Politically Georgia podcast explores the Atlanta community’s response to the Hamas invasion of Israel with Dov Wilker, regional director of the American Jewish Committee Atlanta.
The Jolt’s Greg Bluestein also shares details of his exclusive reporting on how Republican state Senate leaders are using a newly established oversight commission to reprimand Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for her indictment of former President Donald Trump.
Have a question for the show? Call our 24-hour Politically Georgia hotline at 404-526-2527 and we’ll answer it on our Friday episode.
Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.
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OSSOFF’S TRIP. Amid his bipartisan delegation visit to China, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and other lawmakers carved out time to focus on the Israeli crisis.
Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, and the five other U.S. senators on the trip spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to discuss the U.S. response to the Hamas attack, launched Saturday by the militant group.
Ossoff’s office said that he “conveyed the outrage and grief of Georgians at the mass murder of Israeli civilians, and he affirmed that Americans stand with Israelis at this moment of tragedy.”
The senators have decided to cut their delegation trip short because of the Hamas attack to return to Washington, D.C.
This morning, Sen. Ossoff spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog about Hamas’ attack on Israel.
— Ossoff's Office (@SenOssoff) October 10, 2023
Sen. Ossoff conveyed the outrage and grief of Georgians at the mass murder of Israeli civilians, and he affirmed that Americans stand with Israelis at this moment of tragedy. pic.twitter.com/ptmixhJJ3I
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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
TAKE TWO. Democratic U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson issued a sharper statement Tuesday about the Hamas attack on Israel.
After initially expressing sympathy for the “innocent people of Israel and Gaza” and urging leaders to resolve the “issue of a Palestinian homeland,” the DeKalb lawmaker took a sharper tack.
“I condemn the terrorist group Hamas unequivocally for perpetrating this brutal assault on civilians,” he wrote. “There is no justification for it, and I stand with righteous people who stand with Israel and her citizens and friends amidst the gloom of this unprecedented attack.”
Democratic Rep @HankJohnsonGA a few days ago expressed sympathy for the “innocent people of Israel and Gaza” and urged leaders not to ignore “the issue of a Palestinian homeland.” He just issued a new statement condemning “the terrorist group Hamas unequivocally” for the assault. pic.twitter.com/DmHHjoobBG
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) October 10, 2023
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SPEAKER DRAMA. Members of the House Republican caucus huddled Tuesday night to address their most immediate internal problem — they have no speaker.
Speaker candidates Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana spoke directly to colleagues about why they should lead the House. But members left the forum without a consensus on whether either Jordan or Scalise could muster the 218 votes to be speaker.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas summed up the math problem.
“A lot of people like Jim and a lot of people like Steve. I just don’t know how the hell you get to 218. I just do not know,” he said.
Informal votes will be held this morning behind closed doors.
The Georgia delegation reflects the current split. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter of Pooler supports Scalise, while U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde from Athens wants Jordan. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome said she’s still deciding.
Don’t look for the House to make progress on other issues, such as appropriations or aid to Israel, until Republicans choose a leader.
House rules say only a speaker has the authority to greenlight hearings, votes, and advancing legislation. With Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry of North Carolina currently leading the chamber, nothing can move forward.
“I am concerned about that because Israel needs our help now,” Carter said.
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NEVER MIND. Last week, former President Donald Trump said he planned to attend the House speakership meeting Tuesday night to be the “unifier” Republicans need. He even offered to assume the speaker role on a temporary basis.
But Trump was absent as House Republicans heard from speaker candidates, including the candidate he endorsed, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.
One wrinkle in the Trump-as-speaker possibility is Rule 26 of the GOP conference’s bylaws. The rule prohibits members under felony indictment from serving in leadership. Trump faces criminal charges in four separate jurisdictions, including Fulton County.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
FARM BILL. The five-year renewal of the Farm Bill is among the many issues pending in Congress. The most recent legislation technically expired on Sept. 30, and funding for many affected programs will run out by the end of the year, creating urgency for the House and Senate to reach an agreement in the coming weeks.
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock visits a farm in Madison this morning to discuss his priorities for the Farm Bill. Warnock serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is tasked with drafting his chamber’s version of the legislation.
The Atlanta Democrat has spoken about the need to protect funding for the supplemental nutrition assistance program, better known as food stamps, while also implementing programs to benefit Georgia farmers, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden delivers remarks from the White House on his administration’s efforts to address excessive fees for online purchases and encourage better pricing transparency.
- U.S. House Republicans meet to discuss the speaker vacancy. House Democrats also meet privately.
- The U.S. Senate is at recess for the rest of the week.
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COBB ELECTIONS. The partisan politics epicenter that is Cobb County has a new election’s director. The Cobb Election Board named Tate Fall as the new top administrator in a vote Monday.
Fall currently serves as deputy director of elections for Arlington County, Virginia, located across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
Cobb County, the state’s third most populous county with more than 750,000 residents, has seen a demographic and political shift in recent decades. Once a Republican stronghold, Cobb is now a battleground county.
Democratic candidates such as Hillary Clinton, Stacey Abrams and Joe Biden have won the Cobb vote in recent elections. The Cobb Commission chair, Lisa Cupid, became the first Democrat to win the post in decades in 2020. Democrats claimed the commission majority in that same election.
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PERSONNEL MOVES. Tanner Palin, who has long served as U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath’s main spokesman, recently started a new job at Tusk Strategies, a lobbying and public affairs firm.
Palin’s former deputy, Althea Dillon, has been promoted to McBath’s communications director.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. As Congress tries to maneuver without a House speaker, what better day to meet a pooch with some fancy footwork of her own?
Ginger French is the Pomeranian rescue pup who calls Leanne French of Tucker her person. A reliable source reports Ginger does a mean “Pomeranian pirouette,” as she spins in circles before making a move for other dogs’ toys.
You’re our Dog of the Day, Ginger, because many Jolt readers appreciate a good spin.
Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
