Politics1 min read

Petition opposing Hakeem Jeffries as US House Speaker passes one million signatures

By · Via Middle East Eye · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The widespread public campaign against Hakeem Jeffries gained significant traction after being initiated by social media influencer Nicole Whitted, who urged representatives to evaluate his donor history. Critics are specifically targeting his acceptance of 1.5 million dollars from AIPAC alongside his foreign policy record, while polling from Economist/YouGov reveals just a 26 percent approval rating among registered voters. This resistance has extended beyond digital organizing to active street demonstrations outside his Brooklyn office, where activists presented demands targeting military spending and foreign aid. Despite some newly elected members expressing hesitation, Jeffries remains…

Key points

  • Jeffries remains completely uncontested in his party's upcoming internal leadership ballo…: Jeffries remains completely uncontested in his party's upcoming internal leadership ballot despite facing vocal public and progressive pushback.
  • Activist coalitions including Brooklyn For Peace and the National Iranian American Counci…: Activist coalitions including Brooklyn For Peace and the National Iranian American Council demand immediate legislative action to halt weapons shipments.
  • If selected when the new Congress convenes in January, Jeffries will achieve a historic m…: If selected when the new Congress convenes in January, Jeffries will achieve a historic milestone as the first Black House Speaker.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Petition opposing Hakeem Jeffries as US House Speaker passes one million signatures

More than a million people have signed a petition urging Democrats to reject Hakeem Jeffries as the next Speaker of the US House of Representatives, as growing opposition to his leadership puts his support for Israel and US foreign policy under renewed scrutiny.

Jeffries, who currently leads the House Democrats, is expected to become the first Black Speaker when the new Congress convenes in January, after the Democrats' sweeping midterm victories on 3 November.

But Jeffries is not the Speaker-elect yet. He confirmed his candidacy last week, but his colleagues must elect him later this month. Jeffries stands currently uncontested, with no other Democratic lawmaker throwing their hat in the ring for the position.

While no one in the party has come forward to run against Jeffries, several newly elected lawmakers have voiced reservations about his policy positions, casting doubt on whether they will endorse him.

Some voters and influencers have mobilised, with dozens of viral videos urging citizens to call their representatives and sign the petition against…

Politics