New York Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) is creating some distance between himself and more liberal members of Congress.
The New York Democrat has reportedly left the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) after disagreeing with members over their stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
Torres, a fierce ally of Israel, has openly criticized progressive lawmakers’ reaction to the way Israel is waging war in Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The Hill continues:
Torres has abstained from calling for a cease-fire in the war, a policy some of the caucus’s members support. His departure is another shakeup in the caucus after Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) left the CPC in November, her office confirmed to The Hill.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has caused some divisions in the Democratic Party. The war, now in its fourth month, has put some members of the Democratic Party at odds with President Biden and other pro-Israel Congress members of the party. Some of the more progressive members of the party on Capitol Hill have been frustrated with the Biden administration’s stance on the war.
Members of “The Squad,” who are also in the CPC, are facing primary challenges over their vocal criticism of Israel.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Squad member and vice chair of the CPC, was censured in November by the lower chamber over her criticism of Israel.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the caucus’s chair, has also been scrutinized for her comments about Israel. In July, she called Israel a “racist state,” but later apologized for her remarks.
