EXCLUSIVE — The National Republican Congressional Committee is brushing off demands from three freshman House Democrats to retract a “tongue-in-cheek” press release claiming the lawmakers supported Hamas.

On Friday, legal counsel from the Elias Law Group representing Reps. Andrea Salinas (D-OR) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and from Olson Remcho LLP representing Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) sent immediate cease-and-desist letters to the NRCC, accusing the organization of false statements and defamation after they published several press releases with the headline “allegedly ‘quoting’” the representatives saying “I support Hamas.”