Pelosi wants the FBI to investigate pro-Palestinian protesters
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Sunday called on the FBI to investigate protesters demanding a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, suggesting without evidence that some activists may have ties to Russia and President Vladimir V. Putin.
“The fact that they are calling for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin's message,” Mrs. Pelosi said during an interview on CNN's “State of the Union.” “Make no mistake, this is directly related to what he would like to see. Same with Ukraine. It's about Putin's message. I think some of these protesters are spontaneous, organic and sincere. Some, I think, are connected to Russia.”
When asked if she believed some protesters were “Russian plants,” Mrs. Pelosi said, “Seeds or plants. I think some research needs to be done into certain types of financing. And I would ask the FBI to investigate that.”
Ms. Pelosi, who was first elected speaker in 2007 and again in 2019, led Democrats in the House of Representatives for two decades before stepping aside for Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader. Yet she remains influential among Democrats in Congress. Her comments appear to be the first time a prominent US politician has publicly suggested that Russia may be backing ceasefire protests to help stoke divisions among Democrats.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned Ms. Pelosi's comments as “a baseless smear” and “downright authoritarian.”
“Her comments once again demonstrate the negative impact of decades of dehumanization of the Palestinian people by those who support Israeli apartheid,” Nihad Awad, the group's national executive director, said in a statement. “Rather than baselessly labeling these Americans as Russian collaborators, former House Speaker Pelosi and other political leaders should respect the will of the American people by calling for an end to the Netanyahu genocidal war.” government against the people of Gaza.”
Progressive activists and voters who support a ceasefire in Gaza have warned President Biden that his approach to the conflict would jeopardize his re-election and cost Democrats support at the ballot box in November. A variety of groups, including Jewish, human rights and anti-war organizations, have led protests across the country demanding an end to Israel's military campaign, which began after Hamas's deadly Oct. 7 attack. Pro-Palestinian protesters, citing the rising death toll and deep humanitarian crisis in Gaza, have disrupted Democratic campaign events in recent weeks, including Mr. Biden's public appearances and a speech that Mrs. Pelosi gave last week in Seattle.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mrs. Pelosi pointed out one post on social media by Ian Beerdera political scientist and professor at Columbia University, who wrote that “Putin is benefiting from the ongoing war in Gaza and the growing chaos in the Middle East.”
The spokesperson said Mrs. Pelosi would remain focused on “ending the suffering in Gaza” and would demand that all hostages be released.
“Speaker Pelosi has always supported and defended the right of all Americans to express their views through peaceful protest,” the statement said. “Speaker Pelosi is acutely aware of how foreign adversaries are meddling in American politics to sow division and influence our elections, and she wants to see further investigation ahead of the 2024 elections.”
Russia has expressed support for a ceasefire in Gaza, and Mr Putin has done so too used the conflict to criticize the role of the United States in the Middle East. Russia has also interfered in the past two presidential elections in the United States.
Democrats have been deeply divided over policy toward Israel since Hamas killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped another 240 in the Oct. 7 attack. More than 26,000 people have been killed in Israel's military response, according to Israel's Health Ministry.
A New York Times/Siena College poll found that voters broadly disapproved of Biden's handling of the conflict, with nearly as many Americans saying they want Israel's military campaign to end as those saying it should be stopped continued. The split poses an acute challenge for Mr. Biden as he seeks reelection and tries to hold together a Democratic coalition that elected him to the White House in 2020.
Many countries have called for a ceasefire; in December, 153 countries voted in favor of an immediate ceasefire in the United Nations General Assembly. The International Court of Justice told Israel on Friday that it must take action to prevent genocide in Gaza.