Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar’s, D-Minn., communications director said this week that anti-Semitism “is a right-wing force,” suggesting that the discrimination faced by the Jewish community is merely a tool used by the Right to bring down his boss.
Jeremy Slevin, who has served as communications director for the Minnesota lawmaker since the beginning of the Congress, tweeted that “Anti-semitism is a right-wing force,” repeating the line eight times in the tweet. His accusation that anti-Semitism is a tool of the Right comes in response to Omar’s tweet, saying: “To confront hate and bigotry in all its forms, we must understand that they are all related.”
Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-wing force Anti-semitism is a right-win https://t.co/IbISMS7lXU
— Jeremy Slevin (@jeremyslevin) March 26, 2019
Slevin, who identifies as Jewish on his social media platforms, previously worked as communications director to ex-Rep. Keith Ellison, a prominent Democrat who served in Omar’s district prior to his election as Minnesota’s attorney general.
In an attempt to clarify his remarks after receiving pushback on social media, Slevin added on Twitter hours later: “Violent anti-Semitism in the U.S. is primarily a right-wing force.”
Omar has spent a large portion of her tenure defending herself from anti-Semite accusations after she repeatedly made controversial statements against pro-Israel organizations and supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Last month, Omar accused the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the most prestigious pro-Israel groups in the U.S., of buying lawmakers’ and foreign policy decision-makers’ support. “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby,” she tweeted, in reference to the 100 dollar bill being given to lawmakers from pro-Israel lobbyists.
She later said lawmakers who support the U.S.-Israel relationship have “double allegiance/support to a foreign country.”
“I am told everyday that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone. I just happen to be willing to speak up on it and open myself to attacks,” she said earlier this month.
Omar, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has drawn rebukes from Democratic leaders after her comments about the U.S.-Israel alliance. Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel, who is Jewish, urged her on Friday to apologize for suggesting that Israel supporters “push for allegiance to a foreign country,” a claim that he dubbed “a vile anti-Semitic slur.”
Democratic Party leaders who spoke at the recent AIPAC conference in Washington also took jabs at Omar, further highlighting the rift between the progressive wing of the party that has largely backed Omar and the more moderate establishment wing that has condemned her remarks.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said that Omar’s ideas about Israel and its American supporters are anti-Semitic and reaffirmed her own commitment to fostering the relationship between the United States and Israel.
“The United States will continue to champion a foreign policy that reaffirms Israel’s right to self defense. In our democratic societies, we should welcome legitimate debate about how best to honor our values and to advance our priorities without questioning loyalty or patriotism,” Pelosi said.
“This month, the full House came together to condemn the anti-Semitic myth of dual loyalty, and all forms of bigotry, with a resolution that ‘rejects the perpetuation of anti-Semitic stereotypes in the United States and around the world, including the pernicious myth of dual loyalty and foreign allegiance, especially in the context of support for the United States-Israel alliance,'” Pelosi said. “I simply declare to be anti-Semitic is to be anti-American. It has no place in our country.” She said later that there are “signs” of anti-Semitism “in our own country.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., also took a jab at Omar while delivering a speech to AIPAC Sunday. Hoyer told the crowd at AIPAC he stood with Israel “proudly and unapologetically.”
“When someone accuses American supporters of Israel of dual loyalty, I say: Accuse me,” Hoyer said to applause.
