Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) will not be attending Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech coming up to a joint session of the United States Congress.

Richmond will be joining about a dozen other Democrats who said they will not be attending the speech by Netanyahu.

According to Richmond, the speech is a way to embarrass President Barack Obama because House Speaker went behind the president’s back and asked Netanyahu to speak.

“The Constitution places the primary responsibility for foreign affairs in the hands of the President,” said Richmond in a press release.”Speaker John Boehner, a fervent defender of the Constitution, should understand this.”

“However, when he chose to invite a foreign leader to address a joint session of Congress without consulting the White House or Congressional Democratic leadership, he clearly encroached on the Presidents Constitutional authority,” Richmond continued. “Time and time again, Speaker Boehner and Congressional Republicans have tried to embarrass the President of the United States.  It is my hope that their misguided actions in this instance cause no irreversible harm.”

Richmond claims the speech will “destabilizes the President’s authority in foreign policy and forces law makers who are supportive of Israel to choose between offending Israel and undermining the President.”

Throughout Richmond’s prepared statement, he says the Netanyahu’s speech will essentially push a partisan divide, saying “Congress is not a political pawn, nor is it the forum to set foreign policy decisions without consultation from the President.”

The New Orleans lawmaker said Netanyahu’s speech is mainly concerning because of his re-election efforts for Prime Minister of Israel are in a few weeks.

At the end of Richmond’s statement, he says that his skipping out of Netanyahu’s speech “is not an issue of partisanship nor is it indicative of a lack of commitment to Israel.”

Richmond is asking Boehner and Netanyahu to reconsider the planned speech to the joint session.