An authoritative source informs THE WEEKLY STANDARD that the Democratic Senator from North Carolina, Kay Hagan, has asked J Street to remove her name from the host committee for its inaugural Israel-bashing conference this weekend featuring anti-Semite Salam "Zionism is Nazism" Al-Maryati. This is probably a smart move for a Democrat in a purple state with no obvious anti-Israel constituency. Still, Hagan's name remains on the list published by J Street on its website.
THE WEEKLY STANDARD has twice requested comment from Hagan staffers today. Her office hasn't said anything one way or the other -- it's certainly not an endorsement of J Street that members of Congress continue to duck questions and distance themselves from the group. Hagan's defection would bring the total number of members who have pulled their support for J Street to 13. We will update this post when Hagan's gets back to us with a statement.
Update: The Plum Line's Greg Sargent gets confirmation from J Street: Hagan's out.
The updated list of 13 senators and representatives who have now yanked their support:
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE)
Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX)
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA)
Rep. John Salazar (D-CO)
Rep. Ed Towns (D-NY)
Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC)
Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY)
I understand that list will grow over the weekend...
