Jan Schakowsky Out!

The old guard. Illinois congresswoman retires. Jan Schakowsky announces it this week.

The message is clear.... Democrats are unpopular.

The leadership is too polarizing.

Too supportive of the apartheid ethnostate of Israel.

Embracing fascism.

Trying to appeal to Republicans.

Electing people like John Fetterman, Ruben Gallego, Josh Gottheimer, Ritchie Torres, Greg Landsman, Elissa Slotkin, Cory Booker and Chuck Schumer.

Letting Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin run the party. 

Joe Biden aiding and abetting a foreign nation's complicity in a genocide.

Relishing on failures.

We allowed President Donald J. Trump, a convicted felon back into the White House.

It is a total shitshow.

Time for the old gaurd to be replaced. The time for the status quo is over.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) is out. She announced she is retiring. That paves the way for progressive agitator Kat Abughazaleh (Kat Abu) to run for her seat.

A proud Zionist but a progressive. There is no such thing. Jan Schakowsky is not a progressive. She is a middle of the road Democrat who supports Israel.

She wrote as a Jewish American, I have a deep personal connection to the State of Israel, and I have consistently been a steadfast friend and supporter of the Jewish state in her quest for peace and security. Both at home in my district and in the halls of Congress, I am always working to strengthen the U.S.-Israel bond, and to advance the security of the only true democracy in the Middle East, our ally Israel.

I am committed to ensuring the survival of Israel as a Jewish State. A negotiated, two-state solution that provides safety and security for all people in Israel alongside a Palestinian state offers the best prospect for long-term peace for the region. Such an agreement has the potential to provide lasting security for Israel, a better life for Palestinians, and a future for both. While the United States cannot dictate the terms of a peace agreement, strong U.S. leadership in support of peace remains critical.

Israel continues to face serious security threats, and U.S.-Israel security cooperation is as close as it has ever been. In addition to critical security funding and weapons sales for the Jewish state, the U.S. engages in training and joint military exercises with our Israeli partners and supports the research and development of new defense systems. In addition, the U.S. and Israel continue to closely partner in efforts to halt Iranian aggression and pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Just because her opponent left the race, Kat Abughazaleh isn't taking the race for granted.

Schakowsky forgot to mention that Israel is the cause of national security.

The JNS claims she is anti-Israel because she is friends with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a stuanch critic of the apartheid ethnostate. Also the recent years, Schakowsky skipped the sideshow of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Less than a week after Oct. 7, 2023, Schakowsky was one of 55 members of Congress who told Biden to provide aid to Gazans, and she was one of 25 Democrats to tell then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken in February 2024 that “we remain concerned that not enough steps have been taken to safeguard the lives of the civilian population in Gaza, including journalists.”

A year ago, the retiring congresswoman criticized the Antisemitism Awareness Act—a vote that was delayed last month—which she said “does absolutely nothing to counter antisemitism” and was a “Republican attempt” to pit Jews against Democrats.

Schakowsky said the Trump administration’s efforts to deport an anti-Israel activist and recent Columbia University graduate represent “an alarming violation of immigration law and the First Amendment, and will only make our Jewish communities less safe.” In 2023, she called herself “one of the most outspoken voices for justice for the Palestinians and currently a vocal critic of this current administration in the State of Israel.”

All of this makes her anti-Israel. A woman who took over $700,000 from AIPAC.

A woman who voted on giving weapons to Israel. 

Schakowsky has held her seat in Illinois' 9th Congressional District since 1998.

The Evanston resident has easily been reelected term after term. One of her opponents included JB Pritzker.

"She started out as a grassroots organizer, talking about dating products in the store so we knew that they were sick, and she has never lost that grassroots feeling. She keeps fighting for the consumers, for her constituents," Jill Wine-Banks said.

In Congress, Schakowsky dedicates most of her efforts to issues related to health care and seniors.

Former Watergate prosecutor Wine-Banks is a constituent and close friend of Schakowsky's. She says the congresswoman always understood her role that constituents come first. 

No Israel came first.

"I've called as a constituent, and I not only got answered on the phone, I got my problem being taken care of," Wine-Banks said.

In her 26 years in Congress, Schakowsky says she is most proud of her work in health care. She was instrumental in getting Obamacare passed. Schakowsky says she will continue to fight for progressive causes. She said she plans to spend her remaining year and half in Congress helping Democrats win the midterms and eventually beat President Donald Trump.

"I have worked with Republicans and Democrats throughout the time, never seen anything like this. So, we have to remember the values of the United States of America," Schakowsky said.

While she has been a role model for younger women candidates, Schakowsky refused to mention any names of candidates to replace her. She said whoever runs, she will support them.

She released a statement Monday that said:

"For the last 26 years, I have had the distinct honor and privilege of representing the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, my lifelong home and the best district in the nation. Today, it is with profound gratitude and the utmost appreciation for my constituents that I announce my decision not to seek reelection at the end of my current term.

"I am incredibly proud of the things I have been able to accomplish during my time in Congress. I was honored to help draft and pass the Affordable Care Act, ensuring that Americans could no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions and providing quality health coverage for millions. I was able to pass consumer protection bills that have saved lives and protected Americans, especially our children, from dangerous products and improved auto safety. I worked hard to protect the well-being of seniors and their families, blocking Republican attempts to privatize Social Security and to improve Medicare and Medicaid by lowering prescription drug prices and expanding access to quality long-term care. I would not have been able to do any of this without the counsel of committed consumer advocates and the continued trust and support of our community.

"While these legislative wins are important, the most rewarding part of my job has always been engaging directly with constituents in the 9th District. Whether it be a school visit, attending a rally, touring a new small business, or speaking with fellow shoppers at my local Jewel, I have always prioritized and enjoyed meeting with constituents and providing constituent services. I am so proud that I have always had one of the best and most successful constituent service operations in the country. Whether solving problems with health insurers or Medicare, expediting a passport or immigration application, assisting small businesses, not-for-profits, and community colleges with funding requests, helping veterans get their benefits, cutting through red tape to solve Social Security and IRS problems, stopping deportations, and so much more, my team and I have worked diligently each day to advocate and deliver for our constituents.

"For my entire career, I have made it my mission to mentor and guide the next generation of leaders. In fact, when I talk with students, I do not ask them what they want to be when they grow up, I ask them what they want to do today to make a difference in this world. It is now time for me to pass the baton. We are so fortunate in the 9th District that there are dozens of talented leaders, advocates, and organizers who know our community and who are ready to lead the charge as we fight back against the extreme MAGA agenda and President Donald Trump's shameful policies.

"To the people of Illinois' 9th Congressional District, thank you for allowing me to be your voice in Congress. I have tried to serve you each and every day with the integrity, decency, and fire you deserve. It truly is the honor of a lifetime!

"To my staff, past and present, I could not have done this without you. Thank you for your dedication, sacrifices, expertise, and smiles. Together, through all those late nights and early mornings, we were able to make a difference. The 9th District of Illinois and our nation are healthier, stronger, and more prosperous because of our hard work.

"And to my family, thank you for going on this wild journey with me. I am looking forward to spending more family time together as I enter this new chapter of life. I love you.

"While I will miss serving the people of the 9th District in an elected capacity, I am not going anywhere. For the remainder of my term, and beyond, I vow to continue taking every opportunity possible to fight for my community and my country. I will do everything in my power to secure equal rights for all, an economy that works for everyone, not just the rich, universal health care, reproductive rights, environmental protections and climate security, and so much more. We must all keep the faith, continue to resist, and make our voices heard, because when we fight, we win!"