Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have announced they will boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Wednesday address to a joint session of Congress to protest Israel’s war against Hamas.

Boycotters include high-profile Democrats like Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who said he stands by Israel but will “not stand and cheer its current Prime Minister.”

Also boycotting the speech: members of the far-left “Squad.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said Wednesday is a “dark day,” and Rep. Rashida Tlaib called for Netanyahu to be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court.  Rep. Ilan Omar (D-MN) said she would be skipping the speech, but gave her ticket to family members of a hostage held in Gaza, Politico reported.

A group of progressive lawmakers is planning to attend a counter event in the Capitol, “Peace is Possible: An Alternative Vision for Israel and Palestine,” hosted by left-wing nonprofits. Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal (WA) and Jim McGovern (MA) will deliver remarks during the event in addition to various activists.

Vice President Kamala Harris, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, will also skip Netanyahu’s speech, opting to attend a convention for the historically-black Zeta Phi Beta sorority. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin will preside over the event in Harris’s stead.

Democrats aren’t alone in their boycott. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (KY) also announced he will not attend the address, which he deemed “political theater.” In April, Massie voted against a resolution condemning Iran’s missile attack on Israel and the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which calls for the elimination of the Jewish state.

Both Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine (VA) and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance voiced their support for Israel but will not be in attendance due to scheduling conflicts.

About 60 Democrats skipped Netanyahu’s last address about Iran to Congress in 2015, the Associated Press reported.

Netanyahu was invited to speak by the four top Congressional leaders: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Netanyahu is slated to speak at 2:00 p.m. EST.

Ahead of Netanyahu’s speech, protests are erupting in and around the Watergate Hotel, where the prime minister is staying, as well as outside the Capitol. Video shows a protester outside the Watergate wearing a keffiyeh and threatening to kill Jews and burn them.

“Netanyahu, we’re going to take his neck out,” the man shouted at Israelis in front of the building.

VIDEO THREAD: Protesters gathered Tuesday night in front of the Watergate Hotel (the second night in a row) for a noise demonstration against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who is staying inside.

“From DC to Palestine, Netanyahu’s out of time!” chanted protesters using red and… pic.twitter.com/08XOMH6W8c

— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) July 24, 2024

Around 200 protesters were arrested yesterday after making a ruckus inside the Capitol’s Cannon Rotunda on Tuesday, causing staff and interns to barricade themselves in their offices, Fox News reported.

Speaker Johnson warned that visiting disruptors of the speech would face arrest in a letter sent to his colleagues on Tuesday. Lawmakers who cause a disturbance will be asked to cease by the Sergeant at Arms.

The following list of lawmakers skipping Netanyahu’s speech will be updated throughout the day.

Senate:

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) Sen. J.D Vance (R-OH)

House:

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA)  Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX)

FBI Director Christopher Wray will face questioning from House lawmakers on Wednesday about the bureau’s investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

The House Judiciary Committee led by Republican Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will question Wray at 10:00 a.m. ET about the Trump assassination attempt and concerns about the politicization of the FBI. The hearing with Wray comes after lawmakers grilled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday before she stepped down on Tuesday. 

According to the House Judiciary Committee, the hearing “will examine the FBI’s investigation into the assassination attempt against President Trump and the ongoing politicization of the nation’s preeminent law enforcement agency under the direction of FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland.”

Jordan wrote a letter to Wray last week asking him to provide the committee with documents about the FBI’s investigation into the attack on Trump and whether the campaign rally was left understaffed because of a NATO summit and a Jill Biden event.

“Information provided to this Committee raises serious questions about the thoroughness of the security planning by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in support of President Trump’s campaign rally,” Jordan wrote last week. 

“The Committee has several unanswered questions about the failures that led to the attempted assassination of a president—the first in over forty years—as well as the FBI’s ability to conduct a rapid, transparent, and thorough investigation in the wake of its recent scandals,” he added.

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Wray will likely be asked about how many agents are working the Trump investigation, how many buildings were secured inside and outside the perimeter for Trump’s rally, the FBI’s evaluation of the shooter’s phone, and why the rooftop of the American Glass Research Building was left unsecured, allowing 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks to take several shots at Trump.

Several lawmakers have already expressed concerns about the FBI handling the inquiry into the assassination because of its handling of other high-profile investigations, like The Covenant School shooting. 

“My constituents are deeply concerned with the FBI conducting the sole investigation into the attempted assassination of President Trump,” Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) said last week. “They don’t have faith in the current FBI leadership to get to the truth given how they have targeted President Trump with political witch hunt after witch hunt at the behest of Joe Biden.”