Congressman Turner in Israel

Hamodia Reports: Mr. Turner left Saturday night with his wife on a weeklong trip to Israel. He told Hamodia that he had already visited years ago for touring, so he wanted to focus on policy this time.

“It is my goal to see as many officials as possible and visit some of the  areas that we need to know something about, that it would be good for a  congressman to know something about,” Mr. Turner said.

Mr. Turner’s dramatic entrance to Congress representing the seat that  produced for the Democrats a vice-presidential candidate (Geraldine  Ferraro in 1984) and the current third-ranking senator (Chuck Schumer)  allowed him access to prized committees normally off-limits to someone  who ranks dead last in seniority.

Mr. Turner’s mentors – Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), and Rep. Ileana  Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), chairpersons of the House Homeland Security and  Foreign Affairs Committees, respectively – arranged for him to be  included in their groups. As a veteran, he was also placed on the  Veterans Affairs Committee.

“Most of these things go in the pecking order of seniority, and I am kind of on the bottom of the list,” Mr. Turner said.

Mr. Turner had told Hamodia in August that he would seek to join those three committees if he were elected.

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