The US has been deeply divided by the conflict between Israel and Hamas. There are many who accuse the Israeli government of genocide and more who firmly support Israel. Members of the same political party are arguing with each other. This time around, it’s the reason a Democrat is pulling away from his caucus.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) decided to leave the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) after disagreeing with its members over their position on the war. A source reportedly confirmed the New York congressman’s recent decision in a statement to The Hill, and the Democrat is no longer listed on the caucus’ website. Torres has refused to call for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip like other members of the CPC. He’s the second Democrat to leave the caucus in recent months.
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), a vocal pro-Israel lawmaker, resigned in November due to a rift within the party over the conflict. Frankel and Torres joined the chorus in censing Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the sole Palestinian-American in Congress and a vice chair of the caucus, for comments she made regarding Israel.
It is shocking that Torres has decided to leave the caucus. He stated in December that he would be staying on because he had no “fear of debate or viewpoint diversity.”
According to Business Insider, Torres “never showed up” during the caucus gatherings. The source, an unnamed lawmaker, claimed they had never seen him “show up to anything,” explaining that he might have been forced out if he “was out of compliance.”
Torres has left a progressive caucus in the past. In 2017, when he served as a New York City councilman, he left the council’s progressive caucus after he sponsored a police reform bill and faced backlash. He told the press that he left the group because he didn’t want to be a member of a caucus that aided and abetted “the public humiliation of one of its colleagues.”
