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Capitol View®
Brett Neely

Franken joins Netanyahu boycott

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WASHINGTON - DFL Sen. Al Franken says he won't attend a speech before a joint session of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday.

“This has unfortunately become a partisan spectacle, both because of the impending Israeli election and because it was done without consulting the administration,” said Franken in a statement issued by his office. “I’d be uncomfortable being part of an event that I don’t believe should be happening. I’m confident that, once this episode is over, we can reaffirm our strong tradition of bipartisan support for Israel.”

Franken joins fellow Democrats U.S. Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum in skipping the controversial speech.

Netanyahu is expected to call on Congress to oppose the Obama administration's nuclear talks with Iran. Israeli elections are in two weeks and Netanyahu was invited to speak before Congress by Republican leaders without informing the Obama administration.

A spokeswoman for DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar says the state's senior senator plans to attend the speech and the remaining six of the delegation's eight U.S. House members also plan to be present.