Massie argues with pro-Israel group over opposition to $14B aid package

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) got in a heated back-and-forth with a leading pro-Israel lobbying group Tuesday after he announced his opposition to a $14 billion aid package for Israel being pushed by House GOP leadership.

“If Congress sends $14.5 billion to Israel, on average we’ll be taking about $100 from every working person in the United States,” Massie said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “This will be extracted through inflation and taxes. I’m against it.” 

The $14.3 billion aid package for Israel would include $1.2 billion for the development of the Iron Beam defense system and $4 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling defense systems.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) responded to the congressman in a post that pointed out his vote last week, along with nine progressive Democrats, against the resolution backing Israel and condemning Hamas last week.

Massie has condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, but he said he opposed the resolution because it calls for sanctions, which he does not support, and “asserts the necessity of foreign aid commitments which I have voted against.”

“AIPAC always gets mad when I put America first. I won’t be voting for their $14+ billion shakedown of American taxpayers either,” he wrote. “They are intentionally misrepresenting my intent and the resolution I voted against.”

The pro-Israel group responded, saying, “The U.S. is stronger when Israel is secure. No misrepresentation, your vote says it all: NO to standing with Israel, NO to condemning Hamas, NO to helping Israel win this war.” 

The Israel aid bill, which the House Rules Committee will take up Wednesday, would be paid for by cuts to funding for the Internal Revenue Service, which has drawn stiff opposition from Democrats in the House and Senate.

The cuts would scale back the funding in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, a tax, health and climate signature bill passed by the Democrats.