House Democratic leaders on Monday demanded that freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., apologize for anti-Semitic remarks and tweets, but Republicans are going further by saying they should strip Omar of a key committee assignment.
“Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and other caucus leaders, said in a statement. “We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments.”
“As Democrats and as Americans, the entire Congress must be fully engaged in denouncing and rejecting all forms of hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever they are encountered,” they added.
Omar quickly responded in a tweet saying, “I unequivocally apologize,” although she still questioned the “problematic” role of the AIPAC lobby in Congress.
Listening and learning, but standing strong ?? pic.twitter.com/7TSroSf8h1
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 11, 2019
Omar drew sharp rebuke Sunday after tweeting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is paying American politicians to advocate for Israel. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who are both jewish, condemned Omar’s remarks.
Omar and other House Democrats have been criticized for remarks and social media posts deemed anti-Semitic.
[Opinion: We already know Ilhan Omar is an anti-Semite. The question is, do Democrats care?]
Republican leaders want Pelosi to formally rebuke them for it. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Friday he would take action if Pelosi didn’t act, but he did not specify what he planned to do. He repeated his warning that the GOP would act on Omar’s comments on Monday.
In the face of Democrats’ abdication of leadership, Republicans will take action this week to ensure the House speaks out against anti-Semitic hatred. We stand with Israel and the Jewish people. My full statement ↓ pic.twitter.com/57zpjiMd51
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) February 11, 2019
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., called on Pelosi to strip Omar of her seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Good that some Dems have condemned the disgraceful anti-Semitic remarks of Rep. Omar — but their words are empty unless Dem leaders remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee,” Scalise tweeted Monday. “No one with her anti-Semitic views should be allowed to represent US foreign policy on that committee.”
Good that some Dems have condemned the disgraceful anti-Semitic remarks of Rep. Omar—but their words are empty unless Dem leaders remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee. No one with her anti-Semitic views should be allowed to represent US foreign policy on that committee.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) February 11, 2019
