Rep. Walter Jones (R., N.C.) is facing criticism for what some have dubbed a "long record of appeasement towards Iran," according to a political rival seeking to unseat the congressman.
Republican congressional hopeful Taylor Griffin is pushing back on Jones’s record regarding Iran, claiming that the incumbent has stood on the wrong side of history when it comes to enabling the Obama administration’s diplomacy and outreach to the Islamic Republic.
While Jones voted against the recently inked accord following months of pressure over the issue, Griffin told the Washington Free Beacon that "few in Congress worked harder than Walter Jones to encourage Obama's unconditional negotiations with the terrorist state of Iran and now America is having to deal with the consequences of appeasement."
Jones has a history of backing legislation and policies promoting outreach to Iran. This includes being the only Republican co-sponsor of legislation that established negotiations with Tehran "without preconditions."
Jones also has voted against measures that would tighten economic sanctions on Iran and has backed the Obama administration’s years-long diplomacy with Tehran.
"As congressman, I will always work to protect America’s interests and those of our men and women in uniform first," Griffin said in a statement. "A nuclear agreement with Iran will be possible when Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure for good, ceases to threaten its neighbors, and renounces its pledge to destroy the United States and Israel."
In addition to backing the administration’s diplomacy with Iran, Jones lent his name to two Democratic-led letters supporting the nuclear negotiations.
Jones also was the author of an amendment to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that opposed all military action against Iran.
In both 2012 and 2013, Jones voted against Iran sanctions legislation that passed the House with overwhelming support. Instead, Jones backed a letter championing diplomacy with Iran over new sanctions.
Jones also drew attention when he became the only Republican lawmaker to not attend a key speech earlier this year by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Numerous Democrats also skipped the speech.