Sam,
Is the below statement accurate?
*1. AIPAC endorsed Liccardo*
AIPAC publicly endorsed Sam Liccardo in the CA-16 House race. That
endorsement encouraged AIPAC’s network of donors to contribute to his
campaign, but an endorsement itself is not a financial contribution.
On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 3:48 PM Aram James
wrote:
> Sam,
>
> Is the below statement correct?
>
> Based on publicly available information, there is *no evidence that **Sam
> Liccardo** has traveled to Gaza*.
>
> For the *West Bank*, I also could not find evidence that he has
> personally visited. Searches of his public statements, biography,
> congressional materials, and news coverage do not document a trip there.
>
> There is, however, evidence that he *visited Israel*:
>
> - In a public post marking the first anniversary of the October 7,
> 2023 attacks, Liccardo wrote that he had visited *Kibbutz K’far Aza*
> in *December 2019*, recalling the people he met there.
>
> It’s worth noting that some members of Congress have publicly documented
> trips to both Israel and the Palestinian territories, but I did not find
> Sam Liccardo listed among those delegations.
>
> So, the available evidence indicates:
>
> - *Gaza:* No public evidence that he has traveled there.
> - *West Bank:* No public evidence that he has traveled there.
> - *Israel:* Yes—he has publicly stated that he visited Israel in
> December 2019.
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 3:26 PM Aram James wrote:
>
>> 7/18/2028
>>
>> Hi Sam,
>>
>> Further research suggests you also went on another trip to Israel on
>> AIPAC’s dime (2019) when you were mayor or on the San Jose City Council?
>>
>> True?
>>
>> False?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Avram
>>
>>
>>
>> According to the publicly available travel request, city records, and
>> congressional travel disclosures, Sam Liccardo’s documented AIEF-sponsored
>> trip to Israel in *December 2019* was described as an educational
>> seminar focused on Israeli society, security, innovation, and the
>> U.S.–Israel relationship.
>>
>> The stated purpose of the trip included:
>>
>> - Learning about Israel’s political system and society.
>> - Discussing regional security issues and U.S.–Israel relations.
>> - Visiting sites related to innovation and technology.
>> - Meeting with political, security, and community leaders.
>> - Exploring historical and religious locations.
>>
>> Typical activities on these AIEF educational seminars include:
>>
>> - Briefings from Israeli government and military officials.
>> - Discussions with foreign policy experts.
>> - Visits to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other cities.
>> - Tours of historical, archaeological, and religious sites.
>> - Visits to areas near Israel’s borders to receive security briefings.
>> - Meetings with Israeli academics, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit
>> leaders.
>>
>> The San Jose City Council memorandum authorizing Liccardo’s travel
>> specifically identified the trip as an *Educational Seminar in Israel
>> for Pacific Northwest Progressive Leaders*, with travel to *Jerusalem,
>> Tel Aviv, and Tiberias*, and stated that all travel expenses would be
>> paid by the *American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF)*.
>>
>> The value of the trip reported in ethics disclosures was approximately
>> *$12,345*, covering airfare, lodging, meals, and other travel-related
>> expenses, paid by AIEF under applicable ethics rules.
>>
>> If you’re interested, I can also summarize the *day-by-day itinerary*
>> for the 2019 seminar, including the cities visited and the types of
>> meetings and site visits participants attended.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 3:16 PM Aram James wrote:
>>
>>> Sam,
>>>
>>>
>>> Is the below information accurate?
>>>
>>> The publicly available House travel disclosure for Sam Liccardo’s
>>> congressional trip to Israel, the reported value of the trip was
>>> approximately *$12,345.02*.
>>>
>>> The sponsor-reported breakdown was:
>>>
>>> - Transportation: *$5,598.40*
>>> - Lodging: *$1,696.00*
>>> - Meals: *$1,260.06*
>>> - Other expenses (such as ground transportation, guides, admissions,
>>> etc.): *$3,790.56*
>>>
>>> *Total reported value:* *$12,345.02*.
>>>
>>> According to the disclosure, these expenses were paid by the *American
>>> Israel Education Foundation (AIEF)*, a nonprofit affiliated with AIPAC
>>> that sponsors educational travel for members of Congress under House ethics
>>> rules.
>>>
>>> If you’re interested, I can also summarize *who Liccardo met on the
>>> trip, what sites he visited, and the stated purpose of the travel* from
>>> the official itinerary and ethics filings.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 2:47 PM Aram James wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sam,
>>>>
>>>> Is the below information correct?
>>>>
>>>> I searched for additional records covering Sam Liccardo’s career before
>>>> and after entering Congress.
>>>>
>>>> Based on the publicly available evidence I could find:
>>>>
>>>> - *There is one publicly documented official trip to Israel.*
>>>> - *The trip was paid for by the American Israel Education
>>>> Foundation (AIEF)*, a nonprofit organization affiliated with AIPAC
>>>> that sponsors educational trips for members of Congress.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 11:21 AM Aram James wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Youre welcome, Sam!! I will get back to you with a more substantive
>>>>> response in the near future. In the meantime, I have a few questions for
>>>>> you below. I look forward to your responses.
>>>>>
>>>>> Peace,
>>>>>
>>>>> Avram Finkelstein aka Aram James
>>>>>
>>>>> **One of your proud Jewish constituents who wants the vile war-crimes
>>>>> state of Israel eliminated.
>>>>>
>>>>> P.S.
>>>>>
>>>>> 1 How many times have you traveled to Israel?
>>>>>
>>>>> 2. If so, under what circumstances?
>>>>>
>>>>> 3. Were your trips to Israel, if you in fact went, paid for by AIPAC
>>>>> money?
>>>>>
>>>>> 4. If not, who paid for your trips?
>>>>>
>>>>> 5. When you were mayor of San Jose or on city council, who paid for
>>>>> your trips to Israel?
>>>>>
>>>>> 6. Have you traveled to Palestine? Gaza? West Bank? Other locations in
>>>>> Palestine?
>>>>>
>>>>> 7. If not, why have you not taken a fact-finding trip to Gaza and the
>>>>> West Bank?
>>>>>
>>>>> 8. Have you publicly called for a one-state solution?
>>>>>
>>>>> 9. Have you publicly condemned Israel 🇮🇱 as a war-crimes genocidal
>>>>> state? If Not, Why Not?
>>>>>
>>>>> 19. Have you publicly called for the elimination of the rogue
>>>>> apartheid state, war-crimes state of Israel? If Not, Why Not, Sam?
>>>>>
>>>>> ****Sam, Im proud of you for your willingness to open up a
>>>>> constructive conversation with me on this critical issue. Look forward to
>>>>> more of the same.
>>>>>
>>>>> Avram “Eliminate The State of Israel Now” Finkelstein
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 8:00 AM Sam Liccardo
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks Aram.
>>>>>> First, you’re incorrect: I’ve never received money directly from
>>>>>> AIPAC, and they’re certainly not giving to me now. They will not
>>>>>> accept contributions for me on their website, unlike hundreds of other
>>>>>> members of Congress. Among the reasons why they won’t ever contribute to
>>>>>> me is my cosponsorship of the “Block the Bombs” bill, and public statements
>>>>>> like this:
>>>>>> https://liccardo.house.gov/massie-amendment
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I’m sure I’ve received contributions from local community residents
>>>>>> who are members of AIPAC, though not nearly as much as my opponent in 2024,
>>>>>> and I’m also confident I received more contributions from members of the
>>>>>> Muslim or Arab-American communities who object to the conduct of the
>>>>>> Israeli leadership. I had to raise $6 million in that race, so the amounts
>>>>>> you’re citing are less than 2% of my raise in that cycle.
>>>>>> In your future missives, I encourage you to present facts more
>>>>>> accurately and with relevant context.
>>>>>> Sam
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sam Liccardo
>>>>>> Member of Congress
>>>>>> 16th District of California
>>>>>> (this email is being sent from my private account, and is not
>>>>>> official correspondence)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 12:30 AM Aram James wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For Sam Liccardo’s successful 2024 House campaign:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - *Direct AIPAC PAC contributions:* *$10,000* (the maximum PAC
>>>>>>> contribution for the primary and general election combined). This would
>>>>>>> appear in FEC filings as a contribution from the AIPAC PAC.
>>>>>>> - *Including AIPAC-affiliated individual donors:* Public
>>>>>>> campaign finance trackers report a total of *about
>>>>>>> $80,000–$90,000* in support associated with AIPAC’s network
>>>>>>> during the 2023–2024 cycle. This larger figure includes donations from
>>>>>>> individuals identified as part of AIPAC’s donor network, not just the PAC
>>>>>>> itself.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So if someone says “Liccardo took *$10,000 from AIPAC*,” they’re
>>>>>>> referring only to the PAC’s direct contribution. If they cite a figure
>>>>>>> around *$80,000–$90,000*, they’re using a broader methodology that
>>>>>>> includes affiliated individual donors as well.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If you’d like, I can also break down:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> - the exact FEC entries for the $10,000,
>>>>>>> - who the major AIPAC-affiliated individual donors were, or
>>>>>>> - how Liccardo compares with other California members of
>>>>>>> Congress on AIPAC-linked fundraising.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>