Sen. Chris Van Hollen is slamming the pro-Israel lobby and crypto industry for pouring millions of dollars into the race to replace retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer, accusing the special-interest groups of trying to “buy this congressional seat” in their state.
“Voters need to understand that these groups are not investing in this race out of charity,” the Maryland Democratic senator said in a virtual press conference Thursday. “They are spending because they believe the beneficiary of their spending — in this case, one candidate, Adrian Boafo — will be a dependable vote in support of their special interests.”
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, has spent over $1 million on ads and mailers boosting state Del. Adrian Boafo, a former Hoyer aide who the retiring member has endorsed, in Maryland’s 5th District. A pro-crypto super PAC, Protect Progress, has spent over $3 million, per federal campaign finance filings.
Both groups have run ads promoting Boafo’s roster of high-profile endorsements, including Hoyer, Gov. Wes Moore and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), along with his legislative efforts around immigration and affordability. None of the ads mention Israel or crypto.
Van Hollen, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, criticized those omissions. He said he has “nothing against” Boafo but that “voters need to be aware of the fact that these outside groups do not have the voters’ interests at heart.” And he called on candidates benefitting from outside spending to release any “questionnaires or other communications they’ve had with these groups.”
Candidates cannot coordinate with super PACs. Boafo, in a statement, said he agrees with Van Hollen that “big money has no place in politics. It’s why I’ll work with him in Congress to end Citizens United once and for all.”
Patrick Dorton, a spokesperson for United Democracy Project, said in a statement that Van Hollen is “deliberately misrepresenting our views and discriminating against millions of pro-Israel Democrats who are members of AIPAC.”
Van Hollen has not endorsed in the Democratic primary for Hoyer’s seat, which also includes Nancy Pelosi-backed former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn. But he has become critical of dark money in Democratic primaries. He has also been an outspoken critic of the Israeli government and has pushed his party to condition arms sales to the country.
AIPAC has spent heavily in Maryland before. Asked specifically why AIPAC’s interventions have become such a lightning rod in Democratic politics, Van Hollen, who has close ties to rival organization J Street, said that while AIPAC remains a “formidable force” on Capitol Hill, its pro-Israel positions have become “discredited” with voters.
“It’s no secret that AIPAC’s position of providing unconditional American taxpayer support for the government of Israel is not a popular position,” he said.
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