Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Congress is filled with non-members for the speech of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu given the large amount of Democrats who refused to attend.
The lawmaker made the claim when replying to a publication on X claiming that "roughly 100 of the 212 House Democrats and 27 of 51 Senate Democrats (and Dem-caucusing independents) are in the chamber for Netanyahu's speech." "That's around half of each caucus absent for Netanyahu's speech," adds the publication by Axios reporter Andrew Solender.
"Just so we're clear, Netanyahu has lost so many people that he is addressing just a fraction of Congress. When this happens, they fill the seats with non-members, like what they do at award ceremonies, in order to project the appearance of full attendance and support," said Ocasio-Cortez, who has been a vocal critic of Netanyahu and the way Israel has been conducting its war on Hamas since the October 7 attacks that catalyzed the conflict.
Just so we’re clear, Netanyahu has lost so many people that he is addressing just a fraction of Congress.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 24, 2024
When this happens, they fill the seats with non-members, like what they do at award ceremonies, in order to project the appearance of full attendance and support. https://t.co/CIboKUrkBq
Other notable critics, however, did attend the speech. Among them is Rep. Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, who held a sign in the chamber saying "war criminal" on one side and "guilty of genocide" on the other. Tlaib is the only Palestinian-American lawmaker, has relatives in the West Bank and represents a district where many Palestinians live.
Outside the chamber, police used pepper spray on large crowds protesting the speech. According to the Associated Press, thousands marched on Washington chanting "Free, Free Palestine." U.S. Capitol Police said in a post on X that some protesters had become "violent" and "failed to obey" orders to move back from the police line.
"We are deploying pepper spray toward anyone trying to break the law and cross that line," Capitol Police said. Authorities later added that they arrested five people in the House Gallery and "immediately removed." "Disrupting the Congress and demonstrating in the Congressional Buildings is against the law," police said.
Inside Congress, Netanyahu addressed protesters, both those marching that day and over the past months. He called them "useful idiots" doing the bidding of the country's adversaries, particularly Iran.
"I have a message for these protesters. When the tyrants of Tehran who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair are praising, promoting and funding you- you have officially become Iran's useful idiots."
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