Hakeem Jeffries' explanation of his Jared Kushner meeting
Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries is under fire from the left for meeting Jared Kushner and saying it was about affordability — bad news for a leader already accused of serving donors over voters.
- Jeffries put out a video saying he met Kushner to talk about the cost of living.
- Critics say that story does not hold up, since Kushner's work is foreign policy, not housing or grocery prices.
- The suspicion is that the real subject was Israel, and that Jeffries was reassuring pro-Israel backers ahead of a possible speakership.
- Jeffries has taken large sums from pro-Israel groups and corporate PACs, which fuels the distrust.
- Roughly 80% of Democratic voters oppose more funding for Israel, putting Jeffries at odds with his own base.
Outlook: Expect more pressure on Jeffries from the party's left, especially over any future vote on aid to Israel.