House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Wednesday said leaders are calling on rank-and-file lawmakers in both parties to avoid making comments or taking actions deemed hateful, bigoted, or prejudiced — or else face “further action” from Democratic leaders.
The Maryland Democrat made the statement in response to a reporter’s question about anti-Semitic comments and tweets made by freshmen lawmakers Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.
Omar was accused this week of peddling an anti-Semitic trope on Twitter that referred to a slang reference to attack Jewish influence in politics. She apologized at the request of Democratic leaders, who admonished her in a public letter.
“Congresswoman Omar apologized,” Hoyer told reporters. “But the real test is the actions on the floor.”
Hoyer said he includes GOP lawmakers in his warning, making a reference to a Republican lawmaker who earlier this year yelled “Go back to Puerto Rico!” to House Democrats during a floor vote earlier this year.
“We need to treat one another with respect and without language that would refer to any kind of interpretation of bigotry, prejudice, or hate,” Hoyer said. “We’ll continue to pursue and advocate for that, and very frankly, if that doesn’t pan out, there may be further action we would take.”
He declined to say what action Democratic leaders might take against offending lawmakers.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has threatened to try take action against lawmakers accused of anti-Semitic remarks.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Wednesday the problem lies primarily on the Democratic side of the aisle.
“I know we have been speaking out about against the growing anti-Semitism that we’ve been seeing from some of the Democrats in Congress. We’ve been disappointed that their leadership hasn’t been strong enough in calling that language out,” he said.
