Mitch Perry
South Florida Congressman and Democratic Senate candidate Patrick Murphy is being blasted by Republicans for announcing his support for the the P5+1 nuclear agreement with Iran.
In a statement issued early on Monday, Murphy became just the second member of the Florida congressional delegation to come out in support of the deal, joining Senator Bill Nelson, who Murphy quoted in his statement.
“On balance, I cannot let possibilities a decade or more in the future, however troubling, outweigh the immediate benefits of this agreement. Under the current sanctions Iran’s breakout time to obtaining a nuclear weapon is just three months; this agreement expands that to a full year and reduces Iran’s stockpiles of low-enriched uranium by 98%.”
Calling it the toughest decision in his short time in Congress, Murphy said,”I have listened to the strong cases made by advocates on both sides of this debate, which at times has become unfortunately rancorous. I have carefully studied the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, its appendices, and the classified reports from the negotiations, and have sought answers from both supporters and opponents.”
A Quinnipiac poll released last week shows that a majority of Floridians – 61 percent – oppose the nuclear agreement with Iran, and only 25 percent support it.
Two fellow South Florida Democratic members of Congress: Alcee Hastings and Ted Deutch, have opposed the deal.
Republicans pounced.
‘More and more we have seen that the American people do not approve and trust the White House’s Iran Deal – which empowers Iran with more flexibility and economic relief without preventing them from obtaining nuclear weapons, ” Said Florida GOP Chairman Blaise Ingoglia. “Patrick Murphy’s support of the Iran Deal demonstrates how out of touch he is with Floridians who overwhelming oppose the deal. Voters across Florida deserve a future US Senator that will fight against weak negotiations and stand firm against rewarding nations that sponsor terrorism.”
GOP Senate candidate Ron DeSantis said “Patrick Murphy’s decision to support a deal that infuses the world’s leading state-sponsor of terrorism with $150 billion, confers international legitimacy on Iran’s expansive nuclear program, and even allows Iran to inspect its own military sites demonstrates a lack of judgment and inexperience in matters of national security,” adding that he lacks the “judgement and values that Florida needs as a U.S. Senator.”
Murphy’s top challenger in the Senate race, Alan Grayson said last week on Al Jazeera that he probably wouldn’t make a decision until the House grew close to voting on the issue, but he sounded more critical than optimistic about the plan.
“I’m still undecided and frankly conflicted,” Grayson said. “I don’t think that the deal will bring about the peace that we were hoping to see between Iran and its neighbors. It does nothing to address terrorism support by Iran for militant groups around the area, involvement in what amounts to the Shi’i-Sunni civil war that’s raging from the Middle East.”
Tampa Bay area Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor said today she would make her announcement on Iran before the end of the week.
