Progressives defend Omar, prompting House Dems to delay vote condemning anti-Semitism
- 5 years ago
A House vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, following recent comments by U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has been delayed, as Democrats scramble to rewrite the motion to include all forms of prejudice and progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez come to the defense of their embattled colleague.
The declaration – which doesn’t mention Omar by name – was initially set to be introduced Wednesday. It was to set out the history of anti-Semitism and other bigotry in America and provide examples of anti-Jewish tropes about divided loyalties.
It was also supposed to say the House “rejects anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.”
The resolution effort came after Omar – for at least the second time in recent months – ignited an uproar for echoing anti-Semitic tropes.
In February, she suggested on Twitter that supporters of Israel have been bought, and that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) contributes to pro-Israel politicians despite the fact that the group does not make campaign contributions. The congresswoman then accused American supporters of Israel of pushing people to have “allegiance to a foreign country.”
Democrats have now delayed the resolution to at least Thursday, as the party's House leadership works to reword the statement to include other forms of bigotry – all while facing pressure from progressive Democrats who are defending Omar, Politico reported.
“We're still discussing it,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told the outlet Tuesday. “The sentiment is that it ought to be broad-based. What we're against is hate, prejudice, bigotry, white supremacy, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism.”
“Yes, we're strongly against anti-Semitism, but we're strongly against prejudice directed at any group,” he added.
Liberals of the Democratic Party have also pushed to include the condemnation of anti-Muslim rhetoric, particularly after a poster displayed at the West Virginia Statehouse – at an event sponsored by the West Virginia GOP – linked Omar to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Far-left Jewish and Muslim groups, meanwhile, plan to stage events in support of Omar while progressive political groups reportedly will launch a fundraising effort in support of those Democratic lawmakers who back Omar.
Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., came to the defense of her close ally in Congress on Tuesday, saying that it was “hurtful” that the Democratic leadership was trying to reprimand Omar for anti-Semitic comments while not doing the same when it comes to “statements about Latinx + other communities.”
“It’s not my position to tell people how to feel, or that their hurt is invalid,” she wrote. “But incidents like these do beg the question: where are the resolutions against homophobic statements? For anti-blackness? For xenophobia? For a member saying he’ll ‘send Obama home to Kenya?’”
The declaration – which doesn’t mention Omar by name – was initially set to be introduced Wednesday. It was to set out the history of anti-Semitism and other bigotry in America and provide examples of anti-Jewish tropes about divided loyalties.
It was also supposed to say the House “rejects anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.”
The resolution effort came after Omar – for at least the second time in recent months – ignited an uproar for echoing anti-Semitic tropes.
In February, she suggested on Twitter that supporters of Israel have been bought, and that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) contributes to pro-Israel politicians despite the fact that the group does not make campaign contributions. The congresswoman then accused American supporters of Israel of pushing people to have “allegiance to a foreign country.”
Democrats have now delayed the resolution to at least Thursday, as the party's House leadership works to reword the statement to include other forms of bigotry – all while facing pressure from progressive Democrats who are defending Omar, Politico reported.
“We're still discussing it,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told the outlet Tuesday. “The sentiment is that it ought to be broad-based. What we're against is hate, prejudice, bigotry, white supremacy, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism.”
“Yes, we're strongly against anti-Semitism, but we're strongly against prejudice directed at any group,” he added.
Liberals of the Democratic Party have also pushed to include the condemnation of anti-Muslim rhetoric, particularly after a poster displayed at the West Virginia Statehouse – at an event sponsored by the West Virginia GOP – linked Omar to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Far-left Jewish and Muslim groups, meanwhile, plan to stage events in support of Omar while progressive political groups reportedly will launch a fundraising effort in support of those Democratic lawmakers who back Omar.
Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., came to the defense of her close ally in Congress on Tuesday, saying that it was “hurtful” that the Democratic leadership was trying to reprimand Omar for anti-Semitic comments while not doing the same when it comes to “statements about Latinx + other communities.”
“It’s not my position to tell people how to feel, or that their hurt is invalid,” she wrote. “But incidents like these do beg the question: where are the resolutions against homophobic statements? For anti-blackness? For xenophobia? For a member saying he’ll ‘send Obama home to Kenya?’”