Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw criticized congressional Democrats for hesitating to condemn controversial comments made by freshman lawmaker Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
“Unfortunately, we’re playing a team sport these days,“ Crenshaw, a freshman congressman himself and a former Navy SEAL, said on ABC’s “The View” on Monday. ”We just had a long discussion about how Republicans feel about Trump. I think you’re seeing the same thing play out on the Democrat side … with somebody on their own team and they’re not sure how to handle it even though behind closed doors they might disagree.”
Omar reignited debate about her perceived anti-Semitic views over the weekend when she defended the Hamas terrorists who fired hundreds of rockets at civilian targets in Israel over the weekend.
How many more protesters must be shot, rockets must be fired, and little kids must be killed until the endless cycle of violence ends?
The status quo of occupation and humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unsustainable. Only real justice can bring about security and lasting peace.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 5, 2019
“How many more protesters must be shot, rockets must be fired, and little kids must be killed until the endless cycle of violence ends? The status quo of occupation and humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unsustainable. Only real justice can bring about security and lasting peace,” Omar tweeted.
.@DanCrenshawTX on @IlhanMN:
“Unfortunately, we’re playing a team sport these days … with Democrats … somebody on their own team, and they’re not sure how to handle it.” pic.twitter.com/BZ0yz91sc4
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 6, 2019
Earlier this year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., passed a resolution condemning “hate in all forms” — the resolution did not call out Omar by name, a sticking point for Crenshaw and other Republicans.
Omar has received death threats in recent months.
One of the congresswoman’s loudest critics, Crenshaw condemned death threats leveled against Omar in recent weeks over her comments on Israeli-U.S. relations but said she opened the door to such threats herself.
“It is not anybody else’s words that cause these things. It is her words,” Crenshaw told CBS News. “And you can’t lay that blame on anybody else.”
Omar has accused Crenshaw of using the type of rhetoric against her that has prompted threats.
“This is dangerous incitement, given the death threats I face,” Omar said. “I hope leaders of both parties will join me in condemning it. My love and commitment to our country and that of my colleagues should never be in question. We are ALL Americans!”
