Activists file class-action lawsuit over two Bay Area congressmen’s Israeli aid vote

Last Thursday, more than 500 taxpayers in Northern California filed a class-action lawsuit against U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) over a congressional vote for military aid to Israel in April. The lawsuit accuses the pair of violating multiple laws, by voting in favor of sending funds to Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Filed in federal court in San Francisco, the lawsuit alleges the two congressmen violated federal laws and policies in an April 20 vote to approve military aid to Israel, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which allocated $26.38 billion for military aid to Israel, with 366 members voting in favor, 58 opposed and 7 abstaining.

The plaintiffs contend their rights were violated by the vote.

“By voting the way (Mike Thompson) did to supply Israel with money and weapons, he has made me complicit in the killing of my own people and the destruction of my homeland,” said plaintiff Tarik Sharif Kanaana in a news conference Thursday, speaking in front of of a banner proclaiming “NO TAXES FOR GENOCIDE.”

Dean Royer, lead attorney on the case with Szeto-Wong Law, said at the conference the firm is presenting this case under the Ninth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects rights that are not otherwise mentioned.

“Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to have their taxes collected for only lawful purposes have been and continue to be violated by defendants’ votes to use plaintiffs’ taxes for the unlawful purpose of being complicit in genocide,” the complaint said.

The suit alleges the April vote violated the Leahy Law, provisions of which prohibit the U.S. Government from using funds assisting foreign forces “where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights,” along with the 1987 Genocide Convention Implementation Act, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Conventional Arms Transfer policy. It also cites international rulings on recent human rights abuses by Israel.

The attorneys are seeking a declaratory judgment that federal and international human rights laws have been violated, and monetary compensation for plaintiffs’ emotional distress for the psychic harm of being “forced into being complicit in genocide,” which plaintiffs of the lawsuit spoke on in San Francisco on Thursday.

Later, after questions from reporters, Royer said they are also seeking a court order to put an end to the allocation of funding to the Israeli military.

He said the suit could be a long haul, and up next was serving the two congressmen the suit.

The complaint noted symptoms for the plaintiffs, who hail from 10 California counties, include bouts of uncontrollable weeping, inability to sleep, distractions from work, despair for the future of their children and humanity, inability to experience joy, feelings of guilt, social isolation and anxiety.

Activist Seth Donnelly from the organization Taxpayers Against Genocide said later that any money gleaned from the suit would be donated to the Palestinian people.

A spokesperson from Huffman said he did not have a comment on this lawsuit when reached by email.

“Congressman Thompson understands that it has been the civilian population that has paid the cost of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and he remains gravely concerned about the scale of civilian loss in this war. That’s why he has advocated and continues to advocate for the Biden Administration to work with the State Department and our allies to help secure a negotiated bilateral ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and the establishment of a two-state solution to ensure peace and self-determination for the Palestinian and Israeli people. Achieving peace and securing the safety of civilians won’t be accomplished by filing a lawsuit,” said a statement sent by a spokesperson of his office,

Robie Tenorio, a plaintiff and part of the Humboldt Committee for Peace and Justice, emphasized over the phone Thursday that the lawsuit is in response to the escalation of Israel’s violence, and a lack of response from elected officials.

“I got involved because I felt that we were only watching the war escalate after we had the information that the war was devastating,” she said, noting the widespread displacement of civilians and the death toll of the war.

“It felt that there was no longer any rational work to bring it to an end,” she said.

Many involved have organized bundles of actions targeting the congressmen across the counties.

“(Huffman’s) just been a phenomenal representative, and I was always so proud of him, and yet, on this, I feel that he walked away, and I’m simply shocked at his response. I expected a lot more of a humanitarian approach of him because I have so much respect for him,” said Tenorio.

“We’ve begged you to stop, and you’ve ignored us. We’re sickened every day as you should be, as we all should be, and we believe the courts will given the abundant evidence rule against these officials,” said Sonoma County plaintiff Maria Barakat at the conference.

On Tuesday, a separate lawsuit under the Leahy Law was filed against the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., district court, according to reporting from the Guardian.

Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.