By Alex Chen | Thursday, 04 June 2026 10:19 PM EDT
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, has accused pro-Israel advocacy groups of channeling millions of dollars into a critical Maryland congressional primary runoff for the seat vacated by longtime Representative Steny Hoyer.
Van Hollen stated at a virtual press conference that organizations such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and cryptocurrency-focused super PACs are attempting to buy influence in the June 23 contest. “Voters need to understand that these groups are not investing in this race out of charity,” he said.
He emphasized that despite his criticism, a fellow Democrat is currently receiving significant outside funding. “They are spending because they believe the beneficiary of their spending — in this case, one candidate, Adrian Boafo — will be a dependable vote in support of their special interests,” Van Hollen added.
According to reports, AIPAC has spent over $1 million on advertisements to boost Boafo, a Maryland state delegate and former Hoyer aide who has been endorsed by the congressman. A cryptocurrency-focused super PAC named Protect Progress has allocated more than $3 million to support Boafo. The ads highlight his high-profile endorsements and proposed legislation but avoid direct references to Israel or cryptocurrency.
“Voters need to be aware of the fact that these outside groups do not have the voters’ interests at heart,” Van Hollen said, adding he has no reservations about Boafo personally. Boafo expressed agreement with Van Hollen on the role of money in politics: “It’s why I’ll work with him in Congress to end Citizens United once and for all.”
The super PAC affiliated with AIPAC countered that Van Hollen is “deliberately misrepresenting our views and discriminating against millions of pro-Israel Democrats who are members of AIPAC.”
Van Hollen has not endorsed any candidate in the race but has previously criticized AIPAC’s stance on providing unconditional U.S. taxpayer support for Israel. “It’s no secret that AIPAC’s position of providing unconditional American taxpayer support for the government of Israel is not a popular position,” he stated.
