“I Won’t Be Bossed, Bullied, or Bought”: Senate Hopeful Hill Harper Refuses $20 Million Offer To Challenge Pro-Palestinian Rep. Tlaib

Michelle HollandDec 1, 2023

Minute Read

Michigan business Hill Harper recently shared on X that he rejected a $20 million offer from an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) donor in exchange for dropping out of his 2024 Senate race and running against Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) in her primary.

The 2024 Elections

As a member of the House, Tlaib will be one of all 435 Representatives up for reelection next year, whereas Michigan will also have Senate elections for the first time since 2018. Harper is running to replace incumbent Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow, who is retiring at the end of her term.

Rep. Tlaib’s Censure

Editorial credit: Phil Pasquini / Shutterstock.

Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, has recently come under fire for her criticism of Israel and support of Palestine during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. She was recently censured by Congress for using the slogan “from the river to the sea”, used by many to express the desire to see a liberated Palestine and co-existence between Palestinians and Israelis in one democratic, secular state, but interpreted by some as a call for Israel’s destruction and the removal of Israeli populations.

Defending Tlaib

Tlaib has been defended by many other progressive members of Congress, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) who have also been critical of Israel throughout their careers. AOC has backed Tlaib’s calls for a ceasefire, and Sanders, who is Jewish, has defended Tlaib against accusations of antisemitism.

Harper’s X Post

After the donor’s offer to Harper was revealed by a source, he took to X to write: “I didn’t intend for a private phone call to turn public. But now that it has, here’s the truth. One of AIPAC’s biggest donors offered $20m if I dropped out of the U.S. Senate race to run against @RashidaTlaib. I said no. I won’t be bossed, bullied, or bought.”

A Career Risk

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Harper added, “Yes, telling the truth here will put a target on my back. But if we ALL come together, we can win.” His original post received 20,000 reposts and 65,000 likes, with many people praising him for prioritizing his principles over money. The AIPAC is well-known for funding pro-Israel candidates in Congressional races.

The AIPAC Donor

An anonymous but verified source revealed that entrepreneur Linden Nelson offered Harper $10 million to contribute directly to Harper’s campaign, on top of $10 million in independent expenditures. He has historically donated to pro-Israel candidates from both parties.

Questions of Legality

Saurav Ghosh, the director for federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center — a nonpartisan organization — declared that: “It would be illegal for a wealthy donor and a person planning to run for office to essentially coordinate and line up $20 million in financing to support that person’s candidacy.”

Corruption Concerns

He continued, “This would raise serious corruption concerns about the candidate being wholly within that one donor’s pocket.” Harper also called for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Israel and Palestine on November 10, a month after he was allegedly propositioned by Nelson.

Harper on Israel-Palestine

Harper wrote: “The answers to ensure long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians are neither simple nor pain-free, but one truth stands firm: violence against defenseless children, trapped and frightened, is abhorrent, regardless of who is behind it.”

The Four-Day Ceasefire

Currently, a four-day ceasefire is in place after Israel and Hamas came to an agreement. The deal is also set to see 50 Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas released in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel. Many people, however, have demanded that more must be done to save lives.

Praising Harper’s Decision

Many people online praised Harper for his decision, with one forum member writing: “At least there are some people with integrity in politics.” Another person concurred, “We must keep adding to Bernie and the Squad. We have far more progressive representation than we did in 2003. That is something to be proud of.”

An Optimistic Sign

Someone else agreed, “We actually have a solid faction in the House who speak out against AIPAC. While the Biden response to the conflict has been bad, we can’t lose sight of the larger picture and keep voting in progressives and DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) candidates.”

Harper’s Bravery

Another person wrote, “It’s incredibly brave of him to make this public. He just made a ton of enemies.” It has been suggested that the AIPAC will fund candidates to oppose all members of the Squad in the 2024 elections, demonstrating its lobbying power.

Israeli Propaganda Machine

In response to the situation, one commenter wrote: “The Israeli propaganda machine is running overtime, clutching at every straw to try and control the narrative.” Someone else contested: “I disagree. I don’t think Israel really cares that much about their image. They know they can get away with almost anything so they only put up the thinnest veneer of propaganda in order to give themselves plausible deniability.”

A Principled Politician

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“He’s got values and principles that cannot be compromised, good for him!” one poster exclaimed. People favorably contrasted Harper with Wesley Bell, who already accepted money to primary progressive Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) in next year’s House races.

Accusations of Bribery

One user asked, “Does this fall under bribery?” to which someone else replied, “The US has made bribery legal… oops, I mean contributions from lobbying groups.” Another individual explained that the “Supreme Court actually did make the rules around bribery lax to the point of nonexistence,” whereas another person clarified it was legal if donated via a PAC. “It really amazes me how corrupt this country is,” a different user concluded.

Generational Differences

Others reflected on the disproportionate support for Palestine among younger generations and how this could influence the political landscape in decades to come. One contributor wrote: “The zionists are desperate. Newsflash: Gen Z is coming for you and relegating you to the dustbin of history.”

Foreign Lobbying

Numerous people called for the AIPAC to be “labeled a foreign-funded lobbying group,” with one poster concluding, “How is AIPAC not considered a foreign-funded group? Imagine if Russia or China had groups like this.”