House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Friday called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take action against two Democratic lawmakers who have made comments many deem to be anti-Semitic.
“If they do not take action you’ll see action from myself,” said McCarthy, R-Calif. “This cannot sustain itself.”
Freshmen Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., have been accused of tweets and comments deemed anti-Semitic. Tlaib, who supports the boycott, divestment, and sanctions initiative against Israel, accused some U.S. lawmakers of having a “dual loyalty” to both the U.S. and Israel.
She also called President Trump a “motherfucker” in a speech calling for his impeachment.
Omar last week said the idea of Israel being a democracy made her “almost chuckle.”
McCarthy said the comments by both women compare to those made by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, about white nationalism, which cost him his committee assignments.
McCarthy said he took action against King and Pelosi and other Democratic leaders should rebuke Tlaib and Omar.
“The language they are using is wrong and their leadership is wrong for not standing up to it,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy would not disclose what action he plans to take if Pelosi doesn’t act. The GOP is in the minority and do not control the House floor.
“We have a responsibility to stand up but if it’s allowed to happen in the halls of Congress it will only perpetuate the problem and grow into much more than we desire it to be,” McCarthy said.
