“Sorry” might not be sufficient to save lots of him.
Embattled “Squad” Rep. Jamaal Bowman apologized in the end this week for initially claiming that stories of rape and little one homicide throughout Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror assault in opposition to Israel had been a “lie.”
“Instantly when the [United Nations] supplied further proof, I voted to sentence the sexual violence. I apologize for my feedback,” Bowman mentioned Monday throughout a WNYC interview after a listener pressed him on the matter.
“As quickly as I acquired the extra info from the UN, we condemned the sexual violence, we voted to sentence it, and we’re persevering with to do the work.”
Talking throughout an anti-Israel rally in White Plains final Nov. 17, Bowman mentioned: “There was propaganda used originally of the siege.
“There’s nonetheless no proof of beheaded infants or raped girls, however they nonetheless maintain utilizing the lie,” Bowman mentioned, in line with video posted to TikTok and first reported by Politico.
Bowman, 48, is going through off in opposition to Westchester County Govt George Latimer, 70, within the June 25 main for the sixteenth Home District, which covers a lot of Westchester and components of the northern Bronx.
The race has shattered data as the costliest Home main ever when it comes to advert spending, with greater than $23 million doled out for TV, radio, digital and social media spots.
A current Emerson School/WPIX ballot confirmed Bowman trailing Latimer by 17 factors — 48% to 31% — amongst doubtless main voters, with 21% undecided.
Professional-Israel activists accused Bowman of spreading Hamas propaganda by denying atrocities in opposition to Israeli girls and kids through the Oct. 7 assault, which killed an estimated 1,200 folks — together with 33 People.
Whereas Bowman had had walked again his November feedback beforehand, Monday marked the primary time the two-term congressman issued a humble mea culpa.
“I’m not going to be excellent. I’m going to make errors. I’m going to say issues that hurt folks, regardless that I don’t imply to. Once I do, I’m going to take accountability for it. I’m going to personal it,” he mentioned on WNYC.
“I need to be taught and develop and be the very best consultant I might be. That’s who my mom raised me to be, that’s who I used to be as an educator, and that’s who I’m now.”
Latimer and pro-Israel activists mentioned Bowman’s apology was “too little, too late”.
“Denying rape is fallacious, interval. Denying the barbaric beheading of infants is fallacious, interval. Calling rape victims liars is fallacious, interval,” the Latimer marketing campaign mentioned in a press release Thursday.
“And Bowman apologizing for his lies six months later, and solely as a result of he’s now on the verge of getting tossed out of workplace, speaks volumes about his lack of decency and compassion. It’s not only a matter of his `apology being too little, too late’ — it’s that nobody believes Bowman as a result of he has confirmed he’ll say something, regardless of how dishonest, merciless, or divisive, to attempt to keep in energy.”
The Democratic Majority for Israel, which is backing Latimer and launched a digital advert accusing Bowman of mendacity on different points, additionally mocked the congressman’s “half-hearted” apology.
“Congressman Jamaal Bowman has flip-flopped once more. Bowman falsely labeled the savage sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas ‘propaganda.’ Now, on the eve of an election he’s shedding, Bowman makes a halfhearted apology,” mentioned DMFI president Mark Mellman
“Method too little. Method too late.”
In the meantime, Bowman is making an attempt to attach with youthful voters, making an look Wednesday evening on CBS’ “Late Present with Stephen Colbert,” throughout which he mentioned hip-hop in addition to the struggle within the Center East.
Bowman mentioned he instantly condemned the Hamas Oct. 7 assaults on Israel as a “horrific” however described Israel’s retaliatory response in Gaza as “collective punishment”, and referred to as for a everlasting cease-fire,” saying: “We’ve acquired to place the weapons down.”
The congressman can also be scheduled to seem with rapper Money Cobain Thursday evening on the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
The Emerson/PIX/The Hill ballot discovered Bowman main Latimer amongst voters below 40, 44% to 35%, whereas older voters broke for the Westchester government by double-digits.
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