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| Opposing Iran Nuclear Deal, Chuck Schumer Rattles Democratic Firewall | Opposing Iran Nuclear Deal, Chuck Schumer Rattles Democratic Firewall |
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| WASHINGTON — The decision by Senator Chuck Schumer to oppose President Obama’s deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program rattled the Democratic firewall around the accord, but supporters said Democratic defections in New York and South Florida would not be enough to bring down the agreement. | WASHINGTON — The decision by Senator Chuck Schumer to oppose President Obama’s deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program rattled the Democratic firewall around the accord, but supporters said Democratic defections in New York and South Florida would not be enough to bring down the agreement. |
| Republican leaders in the House and Senate have promised a vote in mid-September on a resolution to disapprove the nuclear accord between Iran and the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China, which in itself would be a blow to Mr. Obama’s prestige. | Republican leaders in the House and Senate have promised a vote in mid-September on a resolution to disapprove the nuclear accord between Iran and the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China, which in itself would be a blow to Mr. Obama’s prestige. |
| But to scuttle the Iran nuclear deal, opponents have two high hurdles. They will need 60 votes in the Senate for a resolution of disapproval to overcome a filibuster by accord supporters. If they get that, the president will veto it. Then opponents must secure two thirds of the lawmakers in both chambers to override the veto. | But to scuttle the Iran nuclear deal, opponents have two high hurdles. They will need 60 votes in the Senate for a resolution of disapproval to overcome a filibuster by accord supporters. If they get that, the president will veto it. Then opponents must secure two thirds of the lawmakers in both chambers to override the veto. |
| Mr. Schumer, of New York, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate and likely Democratic leader in 2017, said Thursday night that he would vote for the resolution of disapproval and a veto override. Mr. Schumer’s voice is powerful, and his politics are wily, but he alone cannot stop the international agreement. | Mr. Schumer, of New York, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate and likely Democratic leader in 2017, said Thursday night that he would vote for the resolution of disapproval and a veto override. Mr. Schumer’s voice is powerful, and his politics are wily, but he alone cannot stop the international agreement. |
| “It is a decision that many people, including our whip operation in the House, had been watching closely, no question about that,” Representative David E. Price, Democrat of North Carolina and a member of the House’s informal team whipping up support, said of Mr. Schumer’s announcement. “I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of Chuck Schumer, but he’s not likely to reverse the situation.” | “It is a decision that many people, including our whip operation in the House, had been watching closely, no question about that,” Representative David E. Price, Democrat of North Carolina and a member of the House’s informal team whipping up support, said of Mr. Schumer’s announcement. “I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of Chuck Schumer, but he’s not likely to reverse the situation.” |
| Opposition to the deal among Republicans in Congress is practically unanimous, but resistance among Democrats is concentrated in two heavily Jewish areas, Greater New York City and South Florida. Last week, Representatives Steve Israel of New York, the most senior Jewish Democrat in the House, and Nita M. Lowey of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, came out against the deal, as did Representative Ted Deutch, Democrat of Florida. They joined two other New York Democrats, Kathleen Rice and Grace Meng, in opposition. | Opposition to the deal among Republicans in Congress is practically unanimous, but resistance among Democrats is concentrated in two heavily Jewish areas, Greater New York City and South Florida. Last week, Representatives Steve Israel of New York, the most senior Jewish Democrat in the House, and Nita M. Lowey of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, came out against the deal, as did Representative Ted Deutch, Democrat of Florida. They joined two other New York Democrats, Kathleen Rice and Grace Meng, in opposition. |
| Representative Eliot L. Engel of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, came out in opposition almost simultaneously with Mr. Schumer. | Representative Eliot L. Engel of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, came out in opposition almost simultaneously with Mr. Schumer. |
| But other senior Democrats have come out in favor, including Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat, and Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Representative Sander M. Levin, Democrat of Michigan and one of the most senior Jewish members of Congress, also supports the deal. | But other senior Democrats have come out in favor, including Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat, and Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Representative Sander M. Levin, Democrat of Michigan and one of the most senior Jewish members of Congress, also supports the deal. |
| On Friday, hours after Mr. Schumer’s announcement, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Democrat of Wisconsin, came out in favor, the 16th Senate Democrat to do so. The president needs 34 to sustain a veto. | On Friday, hours after Mr. Schumer’s announcement, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Democrat of Wisconsin, came out in favor, the 16th Senate Democrat to do so. The president needs 34 to sustain a veto. |
| Mr. Schiff, in an interview, said New York sensitivities had everything to do with the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and a visceral fear that loosening sanctions on Iran could finance terrorism. Mr. Schiff, a Southern Californian who is Jewish, said that, on balance, the deal is the best way to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois is a leader of the Democratic effort to secure the 146 votes in the House to sustain a promised veto, and she is also Jewish, as is Representative John Yarmuth, Democrat of Kentucky, who supports the deal. | |
| “There was no one in their constituency who had not been directly impacted by the attacks of 9/11,” Mr. Schiff said of New York lawmakers. “It had a real impact in the New York Jewish community.” | “There was no one in their constituency who had not been directly impacted by the attacks of 9/11,” Mr. Schiff said of New York lawmakers. “It had a real impact in the New York Jewish community.” |
| Within hours of his announcement, Mr. Schumer was being blasted by liberal groups, such as MoveOn.org, which threatened a campaign donation boycott, but the senator was being lauded by New York constituents, his office said. | Within hours of his announcement, Mr. Schumer was being blasted by liberal groups, such as MoveOn.org, which threatened a campaign donation boycott, but the senator was being lauded by New York constituents, his office said. |
| Like many Jewish Democrats, Mr. Schumer assessed the agreement under immediate pressure from his voters, the administration and his own personal history and faith. He read the agreement for the first time in his Park Slope apartment on the Sunday evening after the deal was announced, and reread it over the next week. | Like many Jewish Democrats, Mr. Schumer assessed the agreement under immediate pressure from his voters, the administration and his own personal history and faith. He read the agreement for the first time in his Park Slope apartment on the Sunday evening after the deal was announced, and reread it over the next week. |
| Besides individual meetings with Mr. Obama, with Secretary of State John Kerry and with Wendy R. Sherman, the chief negotiator, Mr. Schumer had three hourlong meetings with members of the negotiating team where the senator received answers to 14 pages of questions on the agreement. | Besides individual meetings with Mr. Obama, with Secretary of State John Kerry and with Wendy R. Sherman, the chief negotiator, Mr. Schumer had three hourlong meetings with members of the negotiating team where the senator received answers to 14 pages of questions on the agreement. |
| Over a recent dinner of green gazpacho filet of sea bass and Virginia Peach Melba, he hashed out further details with Mr. Kerry, Ms. Sherman and Secretary of Energy Ernest J. Moniz. He talked further with other experts, including Dennis Ross, a senior Middle East peace negotiator for three presidents; former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright; a former national security adviser in the Clinton White House, Sandy Berger; and Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli air force general. | Over a recent dinner of green gazpacho filet of sea bass and Virginia Peach Melba, he hashed out further details with Mr. Kerry, Ms. Sherman and Secretary of Energy Ernest J. Moniz. He talked further with other experts, including Dennis Ross, a senior Middle East peace negotiator for three presidents; former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright; a former national security adviser in the Clinton White House, Sandy Berger; and Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli air force general. |
| He also spoke with representatives and leaders of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is mobilizing a massive campaign against the deal, and the Jewish group J Street, which supports it. Ultimately, Mr. Schumer, raised a conservative Jew in Brooklyn, wrote his statement to announce his decision alone in his Senate office in Washington with a pen and yellow legal pad. | He also spoke with representatives and leaders of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is mobilizing a massive campaign against the deal, and the Jewish group J Street, which supports it. Ultimately, Mr. Schumer, raised a conservative Jew in Brooklyn, wrote his statement to announce his decision alone in his Senate office in Washington with a pen and yellow legal pad. |
| Mr. Schumer informed the White House on Thursday evening that he would announce his opposition on Friday, and asked them not to make it public so that he would have time to tell other constituents. But the news was then leaked to The Huffington Post, which forced Mr. Schumer to speed up the timeline, forcing the announcement in the middle of a contentious Republican debate. | Mr. Schumer informed the White House on Thursday evening that he would announce his opposition on Friday, and asked them not to make it public so that he would have time to tell other constituents. But the news was then leaked to The Huffington Post, which forced Mr. Schumer to speed up the timeline, forcing the announcement in the middle of a contentious Republican debate. |
| For supporters of the deal in Congress, Mr. Schumer’s decision will force a redoubling of efforts. Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, has assembled a team to protect the deal, which has met six times in her office to plot strategy and draw up lists of members to target. Ms. Schakowsky said the last meeting drew around 15 Democrats volunteering for “whip” duty. | For supporters of the deal in Congress, Mr. Schumer’s decision will force a redoubling of efforts. Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, has assembled a team to protect the deal, which has met six times in her office to plot strategy and draw up lists of members to target. Ms. Schakowsky said the last meeting drew around 15 Democrats volunteering for “whip” duty. |
| “Every day, the leader has been sending out statements, the number of leanings are declining and support is growing,” Ms. Schakowsky said, indicating that Democrats leaning toward support are firming their positions in favor. | “Every day, the leader has been sending out statements, the number of leanings are declining and support is growing,” Ms. Schakowsky said, indicating that Democrats leaning toward support are firming their positions in favor. |
| Mr. Schumer’s announcement is likely to prompt Democrats both for and against to state their positions and try to establish momentum. Ms. Baldwin’s Friday morning announcement is the latest. | Mr. Schumer’s announcement is likely to prompt Democrats both for and against to state their positions and try to establish momentum. Ms. Baldwin’s Friday morning announcement is the latest. |
| “I believe we are right to choose a path of international diplomacy to achieve our goal of verifiably preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” she wrote. Ultimately, supporters say, there simply are not enough lawmakers from New York and Florida to override a presidential veto. | “I believe we are right to choose a path of international diplomacy to achieve our goal of verifiably preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” she wrote. Ultimately, supporters say, there simply are not enough lawmakers from New York and Florida to override a presidential veto. |
| “With or without his vote, I feel optimistic about having enough votes to sustain a veto,” Ms. Schakowsky said of Mr. Schumer. | “With or without his vote, I feel optimistic about having enough votes to sustain a veto,” Ms. Schakowsky said of Mr. Schumer. |