In a video posted to Instagram, Downey resident and community advocate Joaquin Beltrán visited the D.C. office of Congressman Robert Garcia to question why Garcia continues to fund genocide.
The video includes an interaction with Garcia’s Chief of Staff, Robert Edmonson, who previously worked as Chief of Staff for Nancy Pelosi, as well as with Patrick Swymer, Garcia’s Operations Director and Scheduler, who says on his LinkedIn that he worked as Finance Director for Garcia’s Congressional campaign. Both appear on Garcia’s official staff list.
Statements by Garcia’s campaign Finance Director
Speaking with Swymer first, Beltrán said “I want to know why our Congressman is continuously funding the genocide that is happening in Palestine with our taxpayer dollars?” Beltrán noted specifically that Garcia supported the defunding of UNRWA, which Beltrán said is “essential aid for Palestinians who are on the brink of being murdered from intentional starvation.”
Swymer said “It was a hard vote for him [Garcia]. Beltrán questioned whether that was truly the case, given Garcia’s previous votes to fund the Israeli military. “This is your taxpayer dollars, my taxpayer dollars. Are you OK with this?” asked Beltrán. Swymer said “No, I certainly hear your concerns.”
Beltrán noted Garcia’s funding from AIPAC, saying “They’re obviously influencing his vote. Why does he take AIPAC money?” Swymer said “I can’t speak to his campaign, this is our official office.” Yet, as of publication, Swymer’s LinkedIn and X account said that he is Finance Director for Garcia’s campaign. This position would allow him purview as to AIPAC money in Garcia’s campaign.
Garcia’s Chief of Staff: “Israel has a right to defend itself”
When Beltrán said “I’m sure [Garcia] meets here with AIPAC, lobbyists from AIPAC,” a second staffer, Garcia’s Chief of Staff Robert Edmonson immediately interjected.
“He [Garcia] cares to hear from all sides,” said Edmonson, and proceeded to say “I know you ran against us and I know you lost. We appreciate your point of view, but the Congressman voted on balance and while he is disappointed in the UNRWA blockage of funding, we have to vote on an entire bill. That’s how Congress works, I know you may not know that.”
Here Edmonson is referring to the hostage-like voting procedures in Congress that compel Members to vote for bills that include provisions they “support” and others they “do not support.” This interjection by Edmonson led Beltrán to say “this is a contrived crisis,” and to note that even when the crisis did not exist, Garcia still voted for funding for Israel, “Why did he do that then?”
Edmonson then clarified Garcia’s stance: “The Congressman does believe that Israel has a right to defend itself,” leading observers of the interaction to say “They’re not defending themselves.”
Beltrán said “This is genocide. An occupying power is the aggressor, by definition the aggressor cannot defend itself against the people it occupies,” leading Edmonson to call Beltrán’s words “an opinion,” to which Beltrán responded with “It’s not an opinion, it’s law, and maybe you don’t understand following law, but that’s law.”
Edmonson began to lose patience as observers agreed with Beltrán, and cut off the interaction, shuffling off into a side office while Beltrán again asked why Garcia is funding genocide, telling Edmonson “Maybe you don’t know how funding works.”
Long-time Garcia critic comments
Seeing the interaction, new and long-time critics of Garcia spoke up. Long Beach resident Carlos Ovalle, who has been one of the loudest anti-Garcia voices, said “What a breath of fresh air it is to listen to Joaquin, the adult in the room, and how telling it is to watch the two staffers’ responses.”
“The aide on the right is clearly caught off guard and is squirming, seemingly agreeing with the inhumanity of Israel’s actions while attempting to reconcile with Garcia’s votes. On the other hand, the guy with the bow tie just comes out and says, without an iota of hesitation or remorse, where Garcia stands: ‘Israel has a right to defend itself.’ As Joaquin states clearly, the occupier doesn’t have that right. The bottom line is they (Garcia and his staff) don’t give a shit about international law. They’re not stupid, they are simply on the wrong side of history, on the side of the Zionists who use self defense as a pretext for genocide.”
Garcia is expected to face continued opposition in regards to his stance on Palestine, as well as many other issues. Ovalle said “This isn’t Garcia’s first time, his entire political career has been one of speaking of “progressive” values while acting in the opposite manner.”
Southeast L.A. County Report 