# Should we recall Hakeem Jeffries after the midterms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 31, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294 "2026-10-31T16:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/1 "2026-10-31T16:37:07Z")
Sure, Jeffries is a Democrat. He’s talented at politics- he’s risen as high as a representative can go, all the way to Speaker of the House, then minority leader, and looks set to be Speaker once again. But there is just one problem- the dude is drenched in AIPAC money. Call it my personal opinion, but I don’t think Any representative that takes significant amounts of money from a foreign country ($1 is actually too much) can represent This country effectively. Just look at what AIPAC influence has done to America- decades of pointless wars in the Middle East, the corruption of our elections to the point that in many places, no matter who you vote for, down to the primary level, down to the state and even local level, and from either party, we end up with an AIPAC candidate. And then they vote to send our money to Israel (even some municipalities are doing this!), they vote to continue to arm Israel to continue their genocide against the Palestinians in furtherance of their Greater Israel lebensraum project. They fund this foreign country such that they have free higher education, universal health care, and more. Our country suffers, the global economy suffers, civilians die by the cartload, but apparently it’s all OK as long as Israel’s interests are furthered. Jeffries doesn’t even support those social programs for This country, and at this point I don’t think it is worth entertaining the notion that any AIPAC candidate really will- not effectively, and not without giving Israel their ‘cut’ first. This is before even discussing the possibility of campaign finance reform- what AIPAC candidate will support that, when they owe their positions to foreign money? I feel like our country’s sovereignty has been compromised. Exhibit A: Israel hijacked our government like an airplane on 9/11 to crash our whole country into Iran, for their own purposes, without the involvement of Congress, and against the clear and expressed wishes of the American public (allegedly). Did the public get any say in this? Nope, and neither did Congress. Only Israeli agents whispering in the ear of the Chief Executive (allegedly), and deploying their (alleged) leverage against him. And all of this is before we even consider the extent to which MOSSAD, through Epstein and probably other, lesser known actors, (allegedly) blackmail a whole host of powerful figures with compromising situations such that they are compelled to do the bidding of a foreign power- or else! So we’ve got an entire government here in the US dominated by AIPAC candidates at every level, whether through rampant campaign finance abuse, pedo blackmail and God knows what else, constantly contradicting the will and interests of the American people for the benefit and aims of a foreign country, with, at this point, I think it should be obvious, disastrous results. It’s great that we look set to have a Democratic-led House, and maybe Senate as well. But does the country Really get what it is ostensibly voting for when the candidate is taking money from a foreign power? Again, it doesn’t matter which party, and it often doesn’t matter which candidate, starting in the primaries, we end up with an AIPAC candidate, instead of a representative of America. Personally, I think we should recall All AIPAC candidates, along with anybody who resists campaign finance reform. But let’s fry the big fish first. Let’s recall Hakeem Jeffries and insist on a House Speaker who Doesn’t take foreign money, and doesn’t promote the the practice of taking foreign money, so that the interests of the American public can be represented and actually enacted for a change. But it’s a big deal to do such a thing. What do the rest of you think? Am I right, or have I been misled by poor reasoning, bad observations, emotion or maybe something else? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/2 "2026-10-31T16:39:21Z")
Are you in his Congressional district? If not, why do you care? ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/3 "2026-10-31T16:39:56Z")
He’ll be Speaker. That affects everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/4 "2026-10-31T16:44:12Z")
I’m no expert but unless you’re in the district, you have no say. And I think only members of the House have a vote on whether he is Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/5 "2026-10-31T16:52:28Z")
A discussion on whom the House should choose as Speaker is appropriate and relevant. We elect our local Rep based on how they will vote on things and one of those things is Speaker. The Speaker is incredibly important for reasons that I’m certain you understand so I won’t belabor the point. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/6 "2026-10-31T16:59:27Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Call it my personal opinion, but I don’t think Any representative that takes significant amounts of money from a foreign country ($1 is actually too much) can represent This country effectively. AIPAC is an American group, the money comes from American citizens. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/7 "2026-10-31T17:08:28Z")
One tiny fact. Jeffries is from New York. New York does not have recall of any kind for any position. ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/8 "2026-10-31T17:28:11Z")
As far as I understand recall isn’t an option for any congressional representative, they can only be removed by the body itself. I think Jeffries has been treated unfairly as minority leader. He’s been fairly effective in his ability to control the caucus. Most obviously he’s managed to get multiple resolutions through the house to end the war in Iran. Which as far as I can tell every house Democrat has voted for. [Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives](https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026307) This is obviously a big flaw in the “Controlled by (((AIPAC)))” narrative, since Netanyahu has been doing everything he can to keep the US in the war. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/9 "2026-10-31T17:38:22Z")
> [@JDYanYan](#): > > As far as I understand recall isn’t an option for any congressional representative, they can only be removed by the body itself. True. As a New Yorker myself, I just like to remind those from other states that their remedies are not universal and aren’t even in the vocabulary of some areas. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/10 "2026-10-31T18:45:03Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > They fund this foreign country such that they have free higher education, universal health care, and more. Total US aid to Israel in 2025 was $3.8 billion. Israel’s government spends $45.3 billion per year on healthcare. The idea that Israelis are living it up on the American taxpayer’s dime is false and calls your whole argument into question. I do believe that Jeffries should go because he’s a milquetoast corporate-friendly centrist who won’t stand up to Trump, but please don’t spread misinformation to make your case. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/11 "2026-10-31T19:06:08Z")
As far as I know, it’s impossible to recall a sitting congressperson. So the whole argument is pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/12 "2026-10-31T19:15:13Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > But there is just one problem- the dude is drenched in AIPAC money. Call it my personal opinion, but I don’t think Any representative that takes significant amounts of money from a foreign country ($1 is actually too much) can represent This country effectively. In addition to the fact that AIPAC is a domestic political action committee, there’s also the fact that foreign nationals can’t legally contribute to American elections. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/13 "2026-10-31T19:33:48Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > But there is just one problem- the dude is drenched in AIPAC money. Call it my personal opinion, but I don’t think Any representative that takes significant amounts of money from a foreign country ($1 is actually too much) can represent This country effectively. Hakeem Jeffries is not even in the top ten of AIPAC contributions. And AIPAC gets it’s funding from US Citizens, not a foreign country . Not only that it is illegal- Under 52 U.S.C. § 30121-Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) the law strictly bans foreign nationals from directly or indirectly making, or knowingly accepting, contributions, donations, or things of value in connection with any federal, state, or local election. > [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > AIPAC is an American group, the money comes from American citizens. Yep. > [@JDYanYan](#): > > Most obviously he’s managed to get multiple resolutions through the house to end the war in Iran. Which as far as I can tell every house Democrat has voted for. [Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives](https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026307) > > This is obviously a big flaw in the “Controlled by (((AIPAC)))” narrative, since Netanyahu has been doing everything he can to keep the US in the war. Good point. > [@Smapti](#): > > The idea that Israelis are living it up on the American taxpayer’s dime is false and calls your whole argument into question. True. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/14 "2026-11-01T01:29:45Z")
First, welcome back, OP and woooh what a way to come back. But yeah, as pointed out before the federal Senators and Representatives cannot be recalled or term-limited unless you pass a constitutional amendment to enable it. What OP could advocate would be for there to be a direct primary/general challenge against these members for the 2028 election cycle, much as has already happened for other AIPAC-supported members/candidates this time around. And that the effort to identify suitable candidates to that effect start immediately. That is all legit as a political position. As to Jeffries as potential Speaker, that is a decision of his caucus based on their political considerations. But one would have to believe the last thing the Dems want is for themselves to reenact the 2023 Republican House leadership shitshow. (OTOH they **are** the Democrats, blowing a good thing is kind of their bag.) ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/15 "2026-11-01T02:15:28Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > As far as I know, it’s impossible to recall a sitting congressperson. So the whole argument is pointless. No, but they can be expelled by a 2/3 vote of the House. See: [Expulsion Clause](https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S5-C2-2-1/ALDE_00013580/) If Republicans join in, perhaps on the grounds that they don’t much like any Democrat, 2/3 might be conceivable in the future. If he was expelled because he’s too friendly with the wrong kind of Jews, or other reasons given in the OP, I’d be upset and might not ever vote for politicians who had voted to remove Jeffries. The Democrats would be wise to avoid the circular firing squad approach. Even though I am Israel-friendly, I advise against expelling members who a disagree with me on that issue, or any other. We should go back to the old fashioned idea of only expelling after criminal conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/16 "2026-11-01T08:59:43Z")
“Over **90%** of sitting members of Congress have accepted campaign contributions or financial support from pro-Israel PACs and lobby groups, including AIPAC.” _ **Ninety percent.** _ With an N. @OP (expurgated for rule compliance) : Why the XXXX do you _really_ have such a XXXX-XX against Hakeem Jeffries? ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/17 "2026-11-01T14:30:15Z")
Nobody’s talking about expelling Jeffries. If the Dems achieve a majority in the House, Jeffries can be challenged as Majority leader, which seems likely as many regard him as tied to PAC money and ineffective. He might survive the challenge, but he’s by no means automatically entitled to the Majority position if some think they can do better. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/18 "2026-11-01T15:01:44Z")
I meant to say Speaker of the House. Majority Leader is the Senate. Which incidentally ought to oust Chuck Schumer for someone with a little more piss and vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/19 "2026-11-01T15:08:08Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Am I right, or have I been misled by poor reasoning, bad observations, emotion or maybe something else? I suspect the last. That said - let’s reasonably assume a Democratic House majority. Those who know more - Is it likely Jeffries will be challenged for the Speakership? If so who would likely be the competition? Would the harder left try to put up one of their own? Is Jeffries generally considered as having done a good job? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294/20 "2026-11-01T15:20:30Z")
Researching on my own leads me to ask - the Progressive candidate free of AIPAC donations most likely to run is Greg Casar. Seems unlikely he could win but he, possibly with AOC support, could control enough votes to hold the election hostage just like the far right has done on the GOP side, either demanding concessions or for it to be a different institutionalist than Jeffries. Odds of that playing out? I’m guessing AOC wants to build her connections with the institutionalists, not burn them, as she positions for either a Senate or Presidential run. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-recall-hakeem-jeffries-after-the-midterms/1034294.md?page=2)