{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=a42a0ad2-5dfd-4cbc-8374-07882d369b1d", "HATCH CONDEMNS OBAMA ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS ON ISRAEL", "2014-10-31", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Orrin Hatch", "H000338", "www.hatch.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Sen. Orrin Hatch sent a letter to President Obama today condemning the comments made by senior administration officials regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling for the dismissal of those responsible.\r\n According to an article in The Atlantic titled \u201cThe Crisis in U.S.-Israel Relations Is Officially Here,\u201d Obama administration officials described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as \u201crecalcitrant,\u201d \u201cmyopic,\u201d \u201creactionary,\u201d \u201cobtuse,\u201d \u201cblustering,\u201d \u201cpompous,\u201d and \u201cAspergery.\u201d The article also recounts a senior official referring to Prime Minister Netanyahu as a \u201cchickens***\u201d and a \u201ccoward.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThese comments are flagrantly offensive and wholly inaccurate,\u201d writes Sen. Hatch. \u201cThroughout his life and tenure in office, Prime Minister Netanyahu has conducted himself with honor, dignity, and the highest distinction. He has proven himself both a capable defender of the State of Israel and a willing partner for peace, as well as a true and loyal friend of the United States.\u00a0\r\n \u201c[T]hese comments are deeply harmful to our vitally important relationship with Israel and its duly elected leader,\u201d Hatch wrote. \u201cNo less than immediate dismissal can demonstrate that such remarks do not in any way represent the policy or attitude of your administration or of the United States government.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n The full text of Sen. Hatch\u2019s letter is below:\r\nOctober 31, 2014\r\nThe Honorable Barack H. Obama   President of the United States   The White House   1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW   Washington, D.C. 20500\r\nDear Mr. President,\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I write to you today out of concern arising from comments made by members of your Administration that appeared in Jeffrey Goldberg\u2019s October 28, 2014 article in The Atlantic entitled, \u201cThe Crisis in U.S.-Israel Relations Is Officially Here.\u201d The article quotes \u201cObama administration officials\u201d describing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as \u201crecalcitrant,\u201d \u201cmyopic,\u201d \u201creactionary,\u201d \u201cobtuse,\u201d \u201cblustering,\u201d \u201cpompous,\u201d and \u201cAspergery.\u201d The last term, employed as a pejorative, presumably refers to Asperger Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder affecting an estimated 600,000 Americans. The article also recounts a senior official referring to Prime Minister Netanyahu as a \u201cchickenshit\u201d and a \u201ccoward.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 These comments are flagrantly offensive and wholly inaccurate. Throughout his life and tenure in office, Prime Minister Netanyahu has conducted himself with honor, dignity, and the highest distinction. He has proven himself both a capable defender of the State of Israel and a willing partner for peace, as well as a true and loyal friend of the United States.\r\nBeyond their offensiveness and inaccuracy, these comments are deeply harmful to our vitally important relationship with Israel and its duly elected leader. As a nation, the United States has long shared a unique bond with Israel that each of your predecessors since President Truman has sought to preserve and strengthen. The American people expect you to follow in this important tradition of friendship with Israel\u2014a critical legacy that has been endangered by these despicable remarks.\r\nI applaud Secretary of State Kerry for condemning these remarks for what they are: unacceptable. On behalf of my fellow Americans, I ask that you order a complete and thorough investigation to determine the identity of these senior members of your administration and, once identified, terminate these officials\u2019 service. No less than immediate dismissal can demonstrate that such remarks do not in any way represent the policy or attitude of your administration or of the United States government. At this time of enormous challenges in the Middle East, we cannot afford any attenuation in America\u2019s relationship with our most reliable partner and friend in the region.\r\nThank you for your prompt consideration. I look forward to the speedy resolution of this matter.\r\nSincerely,\r\nOrrin G. Hatch   United States Senator", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=a42a0ad2-5dfd-4cbc-8374-07882d369b1d"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7743429634720087, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}