The Jerusalem Post reported earlier this month that American Israel Education Foundation, a charity group connected with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is sponsoring a visit to Israel for 81 members of Congress. Many of the members, including Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), planned on attending Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Courage” rally in Jerusalem next week. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) also said he would attend.
However, Beck said on his radio show yesterday that House Speaker John Boehner will not allow House members to attend. “The Glenn Beck event’ — this is a quote — ‘is not something that congressmen should attend in office capacity based on the conflict of interest for him as a member,’” Beck said. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) also told Beck that he was told that Beck’s rally “had the appearance of a political event” and that the House ethics committee rejected his request to travel to Israel for the event at the expense of the International Israel Allied Caucus Foundation. Media Matters has the audio:
Adam Kredo reports today that Cantor and Lieberman said they are no longer attending Beck’s rally. Lieberman said he supports “Restoring Courage” but can’t attend because of a “family commitment.” Cantor’s office told Kredo that the Majority Leader will be traveling back to the United States on the day Beck will hold the rally.
Beck isn’t pleased. “Speaker Boehner, you should be ashamed of yourself,” he said yesterday, adding, “The Republican Party should be ashamed of themselves. They don’t have to attend my event. Let them come to our biggest ally and only friend we still have in the Middle East in their hour of need.”
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