J Street

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Lori Lowenthal Marcus, president of Z Street, has done some excellent reporting on the recent 2011 J Street conference in Washington. J Street, an invention of Obama allies, has been feted at the White House, and addressed by senior Obama administration officials. It’s Obama’s favorite Jewish group.

J Street’s second annual conference – at least, that’s what it was called until the organizers realized it had actually been two years since their first annual conference – took place this past weekend in Washington, D.C. For the liberal lobbying group, which proudly (and falsely) calls itself “pro-Israel” and “pro-peace,” it’s been a rough two years.

Emergency Committee for Israel executive director Noah Pollak has written a letter to Ambassador Dennis Ross, urging him to use his upcoming address to the liberal lobbying group J Street “to explain why the Jewish State is not just one of our closest allies, but a country that fully deserves the admiration and moral support of all Americans.” If Ross does just this – express his support for Israel – he may not be received well, but “There are few moments when someone with [Ross’s] experience and credibility is invited into the anti-Israel echo chamber and provided an opportunity to dispel myths, combat falsehoods, deliver much-needed moral clarity – and state clearly that the United States stands with Israel.” 

Don't let J Street's attempt to distract from the embarrassing performance of its candidates in the midterms prevent you from taking a serious look at the group's new polls.

At an event today, President Obama said that "groups that receive foreign money" are a "threat to our democracy."

Never mind for a moment that J Street lied about accepting George Soros's money, that the so-called pro-Israel group is accepting cash from a mysterious foreign national, and that J Street helped facilitate Richard Goldstone's visit to Capitol Hill  -- though all three troubling facts have rightly been in the news a lot lately.

Here's a shameful -- and wrong -- history lesson from one of J Street's co-founders, Daniel Levy, and it should dispel any remaining claim that J Street is in fact a pro-Israel group:

J Street founder Jeremy Ben-Ami admitted this week that he had lied about the funding of his organization for years – but only after the lies had become so obvious, and the criticism so pervasive, that he had no other choice.

J Street has revealed itself to be about as honest as it is pro-Israel. And another day brings about another report of the lobbying group's anti-Israel actions -- and its dishonesty. Today, Eli Lake and Ben Birnbaum report in the Washington Times that J Street facilitated Richard Goldstone's recent visit to Capitol Hill and that a person affiliated with the liberal lobbying group resigned over this move.

First J Street denied receiving money from George Soros—then they had to admit he is a major donor. First J Street claimed it was overwhelmingly supported by domestic donors—then it turned out they had received more than $800,000 from a mysterious woman from Hong Kong. First J Street claimed it had nothing to do with setting up meetings on Capitol Hill for Richard Goldstone—now it turns out they did.

We at THE WEEKLY STANDARD are interested in learning more about a previously unknown (at least to us!) Hong Kong resident who generously donated $811,967 to the liberal lobbying group J Street.  Here's what we know about her: The woman's name is Consolacion Esdicul, but she goes by the diminutive Connie. She appears to be a resident of Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Esdicul is, according to J Street, an associate of Bill Benter, a famously successful international gambler.

At Commentary's blog, Jennifer Rubin has been chronicling the fall-out from lobbying group J Street's lying about it's funding from George Soros.