Congressman Sherman Condemns Vulgar New York Times Ad and Withdraws from Event

Statement

Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) withdrew from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's roundtable discussion event "The Meaning of Never Again: Preventing a Nuclear Iran," following a distasteful advertisement placed in the New York Times showing National Security Advisor Susan Rice and a pile of skulls.

The bottom of the advertisement invited the public to a "bipartisan" forum today in the Dirksen Senate Office Building which was to feature "a Noble Laureate, a Senator, and a Congressman [Sherman]."

"Since 1998, I have taken advantage of every opportunity to urge the toughest sanctions on Iran, including nearly twenty presentations at AIPAC policy conferences," said Congressman Sherman. "I cannot appear at a forum which was advertised using an unwarranted incendiary personal attack. I will be working with Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, and others, to create appropriate forums to focus on the danger posed by Iran."

"Nothing has done as much to unify the Jewish community, and nothing has done so much to bring the Jewish community in agreement with the Obama administration, as this ad," said Congressman Sherman. "Everyone is unified in rejecting this abhorrent ad: J Street and AIPAC, the Obama Administration and Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the leading organizations in the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jewish communities all agree --- this ad is harmful distraction from efforts to combat Iran's nuclear program."

"I have the utmost respect and admiration for Professor Wiesel, and his advocacy in remembering the Holocaust and supporting the state of Israel have been instrumental. Senator Cruz and I both share concerns about a nuclear Iran. I am saddened that this advertisement has preempted what could have been a productive conversation.

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