Josh Gottheimer calls Jebreal's remarks about Jeffries racist and says she owes a real apology
Josh GottheimerU.S. representative for New Jersey's 5th congressional district, posting on X
Gottheimer said no version of calling a Black man a monkey and an errand boy is anything but racist, and said Jebreal owes House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries a real apology, not a half-hearted one.
“There is no version of calling a Black man a "monkey" and an "errand boy" that isn't racist. Rula Jebreal owes Leader Jeffries a real apology — not a half-hearted one dressed up with excuses.”
Original post
Original post
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Were Rula Jebreal’s remarks about Hakeem Jeffries racist?
During a September 2, 2026 appearance on The Left Hook, Rula Jebreal described House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries as a “bought and paid by AIPAC monkey” and “basically an errand boy,” while immediately denying racial intent. Jebreal later apologized for the terms. The Congressional Black Caucus and several lawmakers characterized the wording as racist, while Wajahat Ali and Joy-Ann Reid emphasized intent and surrounding context while also criticizing the language.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Post on Rep. Josh Gottheimer's X account saying that the terms Jebreal used about Jeffries are racist and that she owes Jeffries a real apology.
Original post
About this source
Jebreal apologized for the term while maintaining her political criticism of Jeffries and AIPAC.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Collects direct responses from the Congressional Black Caucus, Representative Ayanna Pressley and Symone D. Sanders Townsend to Jebreal's description of Hakeem Jeffries. The Caucus statement and the Sanders Townsend statement are already recorded in this case; the Pressley statement is recorded here.
Before the quotation
Rula Jebreal used the words "monkey" and "errand boy" about House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on Wajahat Ali's podcast The Left Hook. On September 4 she posted an apology on X for a term she used, while continuing to criticize Jeffries over AIPAC funding.
After the quotation
The post goes on to say that hate and bigotry should never get a pass and that racism is racism.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether Rula Jebreal's remarks about Hakeem Jeffries were racist. Gottheimer said there is no version of calling a Black man a "monkey" and an "errand boy" that is not racist, and said Jebreal owes Jeffries a real apology. That is an express judgment that the remarks were racist, so the label is Condemned.
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- People and groups discussed
- Rula Jebreal
More from this case
Read the full caseMehdi Hasan defends Jebreal: "she is not a racist or bigot"
“Rula offered an unconditional apology... Anyone who knows Rula... knows she is not a racist or bigot.”Read statement
Symone Sanders Townsend says Jebreal's apology ignored anti-Black history
“Without acknowledging that history, that is not an apology.”Read statement
Peter Beinart calls Jebreal's language racist, defends her wider record
“Rula Jebreal used racist language to criticize Hakeem Jeffries. Her comments were clearly wrong.”Read statement
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- The Dispute Index
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- Josh Gottheimer calls Jebreal's remarks about Jeffries racist and says she owes a real apology
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/2795-gottheimer-said-no-version-of-calling-a-black
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Josh Gottheimer calls Jebreal's remarks about Jeffries racist and says she owes a real apology". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2795-gottheimer-said-no-version-of-calling-a-black