For Immediate Release:
Contact:
New York – On Wednesday, February 7, 2023, Alison Esposito, a 25-year veteran of the New York Police Department (NYPD), former candidate for Lieutenant Governor, and Candidate for Congress in New York’s 18th Congressional District, released the following statement after her opponent Rep. Pat Ryan voted against H.R. 7217 a $17.6 billion standalone supplemental bill that would provide needed aid to Israel. Ryan voted in lockstep with the anti-semitic Squad.
Rep. Pat Ryan repeatedly proves that he turns his back when America’s allies need our help. This $17.6 billion standalone bill is the second time the House has voted to send aid to Israel and the second time Pat Ryan has voted against aid. No matter what excuse he tries to come up with, actions speak louder than his empty words. Our great ally cannot wait any longer for the Democrats in Congress to finish their political games. This legislation will increase aid to support necessary defense systems like the Iron Dome. When I am in Congress, Israel can count on my full and unequivocal support.
Alison Esposito
Ryan has now established a deeply flawed record of turning his back on Israel:
- In November, Rep. Pat Ryan voted against sending Israel $14 billion in aid.
- In December, he voted “Present” on a House Resolution to condemn anti-Zionism as antisemitism, a sentiment in line with the position of the mainstream Jewish community and widely accepted definitions of antisemitism.
- In voting Present, he also chose not to condemn “From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free,” understood to be a rallying cry for terrorist groups and their sympathizers.
- He’s accepted campaign donations from left-wing Democrats who are engaged in boycotts of Israel, like Rep. Betty McCollum and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who has called Israel a “racist” state.
- Ryan further failed to speak out when Senate and House Democrats called for conditioning aid to Israel.
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