‘People get comfortable being openly bigoted’: Congressional Black Caucus slams journalist who called Hakeem Jeffries an ‘AIPAC monkey’

Journalist Rula Jebreal made the comments about Jeffries while appearing on Wajahat Ali’s “The Left Hook” podcast.

A journalist who referred to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jefferies as an “AIPAC monkey” and “errand boy” has been condemned by the Congressional Black Caucus, which stated her language was “openly bigoted” and another form of “anti-Black racism.”

“To be clear, there isn’t a non-racist way to call Leader Jeffries, a Black man, a ‘monkey’ or ‘errand boy,'” the caucus said.

In addressing podcast host Wajahat Ali, the group added: “This is what happens when we hold ourselves to such low standards for what’s allowable in our discourse. People get comfortable being openly bigoted.”

“We have to stop platforming and trafficking in anti-Black racism, whether it’s on the political right or the left,” the group added.

Journalist Rula Jebreal made the remarks while appearing on Wajahat Ali’s “The Left Hook” podcast, targeting Jeffries’ support of Israel.

“Hakeem, in Arabic, means healer. He’s not a healer, he’s a divider, “Jebreal said. “He is a bought and paid by AIPAC monkey.” While she couched the statement immediately by adding that she did not mean the comment in a “racist way,” before referring to Jeffries as “basically an errand boy.”

Jebreal would later apologize for her remarks.

“I am disgusted and horrified that Hakeem Jeffries is taking money from AIPAC amidst Israel’s genocide in Palestine,” she wrote on X on Friday (Sept. 4). “That said, a term that I used to describe him was inappropriate and offensive and should never have been used. I apologize unconditionally.”

Numerous Black political figures spoke out against the comments, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who wrote on X that, “Calling Leader Jeffries or any Black man a monkey or errand boy is absolutely disgusting and unacceptable under any circumstances.”

On Threads, Symone D. Sanders added to her earlier thoughts on the matter, noting that during her early rise in progressive politics within the Democratic Party, she discovered that “sometimes my progressive friends were worse than my conservative friends.”

“I don’t need to disrespect someone to disagree with them. Also – idc who you are, there is no hall pass for racism. Respect is due,” she added. “Also…If Democrats win the House in November, I am very sure Hakeem Jeffries will become the Speaker. He will be 3rd in line to the presidency. Respect will also be due then. Respect does not mean you agree with strategy or the decisions, but it does mean you should (at the very least) watch your tone.”

In a follow-up post, she wrote, “I mean, are we really going to have a debate if ‘monkey’ or ‘boy’ is racist?! lol please guys the country is on fire, say sorry and move on.”

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Jebreal, in 2018, did understand the connotation of using “monkey” as a dig toward Black people. In referencing then Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, who told voters not to “monkey up” the state in voting for Andrew Gillum over him, Jebreal wrote on X, “Republicans never fail to fall back on disgusting, blatant racist rhetoric, as opposed to running on issues.”