J Street Vows Investigation After Endorsed Candidate Makes Pro-Israel Statement

“J Street will conduct a full investigation of Mike Rotch.”

Washington, November 6 – A progressive political advocacy group calling itself “pro-Israel, pro-peace” promised today to get to the bottom of an emerging scandal, in which a politician the group supports in this week’s elections was recorded agreeing that the Jewish State has an unequivocal right to exist, defend itself, and determine its own character, organization sources reported today.

J Street executive director Jeremy Ben-Ami issued a statement to the organization’s donors and employees Tuesday acknowledging that Mike Rotch, a Democratic Congressional candidate running for office in California, had signed a petition circulating in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh synagogue shootings two weekends ago, that called on American public officials to denounce antisemitism, including delegitimization of Israel.

“It has come to our attention that Mike Rotch may support Israel in ways that do not reflect the values of this organization,” the statement began. “We have made it clear on several occasions that our mission requires paying only lip-service to a secure Israel, while in reality pursuing an outcome that effectively destroys Israel as a Jewish State. If the reports of Mr. Rotch’s remarks are accurate, they call into question his suitability as a candidate for the sixty-ninth Congressional District. J Street will conduct a full investigation of Mike Rotch and then make its recommendations.”

Mr. Rotch was unavailable for comment; a spokeswoman cited his packed Election-Day campaigning schedule. A review of the signatures on the anti-bigotry petition in question revealed that his name appears among those of approximately eight thousand other Californians. It remains unclear whether the Mike Rotch who signed the document is the same as the one running for office. Four other people in California carry that name, according to public records, in addition to eighteen more nationwide. Successful contact was made with two of them, who denied knowledge of the petition.

Donors to J Street commended the organization’s swift move to address the concerns. “We have values to protect and maintain,” asserted Helena Handbasket, an executive with the Open Societies Foundations of magnate George Soros. “In their immediate action to contain the potential damage to our shared vision of a world without Jewish sovereignty, J Street has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to seeing that vision come true. While we cannot be sure Mike Rotch signed the wrong-headed petition, we can make clear in no uncertain terms that no candidate can expect campaign funding if any such sentiments obtain in his or her rhetoric, by word or deed.”

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