Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., used the controversy over Rep. Ilhan Omar’s tweets targeting a pro-Israel lobbying group, that many took as anti-Semitic, to take a dig at President Trump on Tuesday.
The New York congresswoman tweeted out an opinion piece that argued Omar, D-Minn., was being held to a double standard.
“If you denounce Ilhan Omar but support Donald Trump, you don’t really oppose bigotry. You don’t even really oppose anti-Semitism. What you oppose is criticism of Israel,” columnist Peter Beinart wrote in a piece published by Jewish news outlet Forward.
Ocasio-Cortez added to that statement, saying unlike Trump, Omar “demonstrated a capacity to acknowledge pain & apologize, use the opportunity to learn abt history of antisemitism,+grow from it while clarifying her stance.”
The freshman lawmaker said it was also encouraging to see Jewish leaders be open to conversation with Omar instead of freezing her out.
Unlike this President, Rep. @IlhanMN demonstrated a capacity to acknowledge pain & apologize, use the opportunity to learn abt history of antisemitism,+grow from it while clarifying her stance.
I’m also inspired by Jewish leadership who brought her in, not push her out, to heal. https://t.co/ONRegDJK2S
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 12, 2019
In a tweet Sunday, Omar suggested House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., supported Israel only because of campaign contributions.
“It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” she wrote, including a music note emoji, an apparent reference to a 1997 Puff Daddy song of the same name.
In another tweet, she said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, is paying American politicians to advocate for Israel.
Omar apologized Monday afternoon for her comments after she faced fierce backlash from both sides of the aisle, including from Democratic leadership.
“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes,” her statement said. “My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. … This is why I unequivocally apologize.”
