Why MAGA Republicans helped kill a bill that sought to punish critics of Israel
It's rare to see Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and the Council on American-Islamic Relations unified in their messaging on anything. But the Georgia Republican — who has peddled Islamophobia — and the pro-Islam advocacy group loudly denounced a bipartisan bill that stood to punish boycotts of Israel's government. And they've succeeded in staving it off for now.
House Resolution 867 would have amended the Anti-Boycott Act of 2018 by criminalizing compliance with boycotts called for by international government organizations, such as the United Nations — with potential penalties including prison time. A vote on the bill had been set for Monday, but it was canceled by House GOP leadership after Greene and other MAGA Republicans — including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and former Rep. Matt Gaetz, both of Florida — denounced it.
In a post on X on Sunday, Greene said she'd be opposing the bill because it stood to trample on her constituents' rights.
'It is my job to defend American's rights to buy or boycott whomever they choose without the government harshly fining them or imprisoning them,' she wrote.
Later Sunday, Greene shared that she had gotten word that the vote had been pulled. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., another critic of the bill, did the same.
I recently wrote about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, threatening to withhold money from the city of San Marcos over a symbolic resolution critical of Israel. But the reality is that such lawmakers appear at odds with the majority of Americans: A recent Pew Research survey found that 53% of Americans hold negative views of Israel — up from 42% about three years ago.
With that broadening discontent in mind, along with uncertainty over its passage, it's easy to understand why the House bill was pulled.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
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