After coming under blistering criticism from both sides of the aisle for blatantly anti-Semitic tweets, newly elected Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) issued a statement “unequivocally” apologizing:
“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. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize.”
However, Omar’s statement continued, as she stood by her criticism of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) special interest influence.
“At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry. It’s gone on too long and we must be willing to address it,” Omar said.
Shorter Ilhan Omar: “I am sorry that my anti-Semitism has caused a PR disaster for the Democratic Party…that being said, America still has a problem with money from the Jews!”https://t.co/jDYyKcKe4h pic.twitter.com/qaIzDzgdWc
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) February 11, 2019
Many Democrats are speaking up after recent comments made by Omar. Some are refusing to condemn her, some are remaining silent while some are DEFENDING her anti-Semitic remarks.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement signed by other Democratic leaders calling on Omar to “immediately apologize”, but refused to address calls to remove the repeat offender from the influential House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive,” Pelosi said in a statement issued by her office and signed by other Democratic leaders after a bipartisan backlash against the Minnesota Democrat. “We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to for these hurtful comments.”
In our conversation today, Congresswoman Omar and I agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms. https://t.co/UpZA3DNgQs pic.twitter.com/1Z6rH65e3M
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 11, 2019
Pelosi: @IlhanMN has to apologize for her antisemitic remarks
Omar: “I apologize unequivocally.”
Omar: “but… while we’re on it, @AIPAC does have a lot of influence we need to talk about”
Me: 🤯
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) February 11, 2019
Omar, a Somali-American who became one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress in November, criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, in a pair of tweets over the weekend. “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” she wrote, invoking slang about $100 bills.
Asked on Twitter who she thought was paying members of Congress to support Israel, Omar responded, “AIPAC!”
It’s all about the Benjamins baby 🎶 https://t.co/KatcXJnZLV
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 10, 2019
AIPAC! https://t.co/UdzaFUEfrh
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 11, 2019
Priceless: @IlhanMN retweets @JoshuaMZeitz who compared her tweet to calling us Jews hook nosed. Why? She clearly only the first half of the tweet. pic.twitter.com/k6AKqx6wTW
— Daniella Greenbaum Davis (@DGreenbaum) February 11, 2019
Some Democrats refused to condemn the remarks. One of them was interviewed on CNN on Monday morning. Her name is Debra A. Haaland from new Mexico. Haaland said “I don’t have a comment on that currently” and said she “does not” believe that promoting the idea that Jews control people with money is anti-Semitic.
Another Democrat not only refused to condemn her remarks, but also DEFENDED her remarks. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) in an interview on CNN on Monday morning: “I wouldn’t take it as anti-Semitism”.
Republicans called on Democrats to strip Omar of her seat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, but Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) declined to do so. Engel’s statement said he would not tolerate the remarks, and found it “shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of ‘Jewish money.’” He said he will emphasize to members of the panel of both parties that the American-Israeli relationship is important.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler named Omar in his statement and said she had failed a test of leadership:
“There is an expectation of leaders — particularly those with a demonstrated commitment to the cause of justice and equality — that they would be extremely careful not to tread into the waters of anti-Semitism or any other form of prejudice or hate,” Nadler said. “Rep. Omar failed that test of leadership with these comments.”
Meanwhile, it took Sen. Chuck Schumer an awfully long time to finally condemn her remarks. Schumer, the man who attends one Jewish event after the next, and brags about being the “(Schumer) Shomer Yisroel”, remained totally silent for nearly 24 hours. Not only is he the highest ranking Democrat in the country but he a JEWISH Democrat from our community.
His short statement (released on Twitter) does not demand that Omar apologize, nor call for her to be removed from the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Rep. Omar’s use of an anti-Semitic stereotype was offensive and irresponsible.
This kind of intolerance has no place in Congress—or anywhere in American society.
No one should invoke anti-Semitic tropes during policy disagreements.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 11, 2019
In a 2012 tweet, Omar accused Israel of “evil doings” and said that Israel had “hypnotized the world.” Defending that tweet this past year, she said on the same platform that calling attention to the “Israeli Apartheid regime” was not anti-Semitic.
Just last month, she defended the tweets, saying: “I don’t know how my comments would be offensive to Jewish Americans”.
The controversy over Omar’s remarks stretched beyond Capitol Hill to the crowded Democratic presidential race. It a was a stark exposure of an increasingly tense split among Democrats over U.S.-Israeli policy ahead of the 2020 elections. None of the Democratic presidential hopefuls weighed in publicly as their party’s House leaders chastised Omar.
Less than a week earlier, all but one high-profile Democratic senator eyeing the White House in 2020 voted against a Middle East policy measure that included a provision cracking down on BDS activism against the Israeli government.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar supported the Middle East bill, while her potential presidential rivals — Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sherrod Brown of Ohio — all opposed it. Several of those Democrats had raised concerns that the bill’s bid to rein in anti-Israel boycott efforts risked violating the constitutional rights of activists, although all the senators are opposed to the Palestinian-led push itself.
Fixed that for you. pic.twitter.com/mN21Iijtc0
— Stephen (@GeronimoFrost) February 11, 2019
The ultimate authority on #antisemitism has now weighed in. Tell us more Linda. pic.twitter.com/3TEvJgCZre
— Chaskel Bennett (@ChaskelBennett) February 11, 2019
In the face of Democrats’ abdication of leadership, Republicans will take action this week to ensure the House speaks out against anti-Semitic hatred. We stand with Israel and the Jewish people. My full statement ↓ pic.twitter.com/57zpjiMd51
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) February 11, 2019
You know @IlhanMN is a rabid hater when another vile Antisemite comes to her defense!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/nDscFy1rkE
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) February 11, 2019
Wonderful. Apology accepted. 🤥
Until tomorrow or the day after when you slip up again because you’re not yet fully “educated”. https://t.co/2azXlXQx8I
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) February 11, 2019
Oh come on. Is this the best @JGreenblattADL can do? A gentle scold? @IlhanMN, who sits on the @HouseForeign said that Jews control US foreign policy with our money to help evil Israel. And all you can say is that this is “inappropriate and upsetting”? What is your problem? https://t.co/Tjyw832Niz
— Caroline Glick (@CarolineGlick) February 11, 2019
Just out of curiosity, I searched open records for how much AIPAC spends per year to lobby for pro-Israel interests. A measly $3.5M in a good year. It barely even cracks the top 50, is dwarfed by the *beer wholesalers.*
In contrast, Planned Parenthood’s PAC spent $20M in 2016.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) February 11, 2019
Good that some Dems have condemned the disgraceful anti-Semitic remarks of Rep. Omar—but their words are empty unless Dem leaders remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee. No one with her anti-Semitic views should be allowed to represent US foreign policy on that committee.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) February 11, 2019
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
27 Responses
Pelosi is hypocritical liar who does not mean anything she is saying , she just appointed Omar to the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee last month, knowingly quite well Omar’s prior history of antisemitism. Democrats can not be trusted.
This an-American foreign garbage should be deported back to Somalia with the first plane.
The true colors of the a sizable portion of the Democrat Party. As if FDR and Jimmy Carter weren’t enough! Liberal Jews will vote themselves right into the camps.
Somewhat the same problem the Republicans have. Two wings of a party with incompatible views on many issues, but they can only win an election by uniting. The Republicans have Trump’s populist wing (anti-immigrant, anti-trade, isolationist) and the establishment wing (pro-trade, pro-immigration, neo-con). The Democrats have the old fashioned Democrats (supporting liberal social programs within the Americans mainstream and supporting inclusion of all types of persons) and the new Socialist wing (favoring certain groups including Blacks and Hispanics and Gays, but bigotted against any group not deemed “politically correct”, opposed to private property, anti-free enterprise, and, most importantly for us, opposed to all religion but with a special concentration on anti-Semitism). There is a real opportunity for a middle of the road third party to win.
Schumer has abandoned his Jewish brothers and sisters years ago. He is a total selfish idiot, and a dangerous one at that.
Throw her out of the country. Deport her. And deport Schumer the same time.
Schumer is the worst self-hating jew alive.
Not sure why anyone is surprised. The Democrats are notorious anti-Semites. For ages. The were the biggest racists towards the black people many years ago. Check your history.
They hate blacks, Jews and anyone else.
Update from Schumer twitter Account, He has CONDEMED her
Rep. Omar’s use of an anti-Semitic stereotype was offensive and irresponsible.
This kind of intolerance has no place in Congress—or anywhere in American society.
No one should invoke anti-Semitic tropes during policy disagreements.
Anyone notice that the dumb 12 year old Cortez is suddenly silent? The loudmouth bartender has suddenly lost her voice?
What about that other anti-Semite, the Palestinian Thalib or something. What happened to her loud mouth all of a sudden?
Where is Bernie the socialist now?
Folks, remember this well. Democrats are a bunch of lying, sleazy, lowest trash of society. A bunch of rabid anti-Semites.
I swear if she says one more anti semitic, we Jews will organize a huge march and do everything we can to get her out of Congress. I know we have free speech, but it is no longer free speech, now it is hate speech which is turning more people against us Jews! She is misleading people about us and there has been increased violence against Jews.
Some forget that we are in golus and assume that in America we will be totally protected and insulated by the government and its citizens. Pittsburgh was indeed a severe wake up call to that. We must rely on the rachmanus of the Ribbono shel Olam and have sincere hakores hatov to those who actually demonstrate their support of us, from wherever it comes.
If Pelosi and the others had remained silent, the critics would be screaming even louder. There is a mitzvah d’oraisa to have hakores hatov to Mitzrayim no less.
rt, very tasteless of you by blaming it on “golus”. If this same issue occurred by a Republican or Pres. Trump, you’d be singing a whole another tune. As I’ve seen many of your comments through time, it’s safe to believe that you are first and foremost and liberal Democrat, followed secondly by a Jew. Just remember which party was the one that didn’t bomb the train tracks of Auschwitz, the party that brought a president (hint: Carter) who authored a book of the “Apartheid” situation with Israel- Palestine, the party of JFK and his ‘female shenanigans’, the party which places LGBTQ and pro-Abortion as top-party platforms, and the party who will bend over backwards to assist illegals at the Southern Border. I wonder how the Democrats would react if the Southern Border was the State of Israel, and not Mexico. Would they be as “generous”, “fair” , and “hospitable”?
Doma, ‘I swear if she says one more anti semitic,” 80% Jews of Minneapolis will still support her no matte what. Did’we learn this sad lesson from Obama?
I my gosh, I love it! you made a name typo that’s great!
“Meanwhile, it took Cuck Schumer, an awful long time”
Dear RT
can you explain y you always talk agents our president when he dos nothing wrong aginst us jewish ppl
but when it comes a person that dose something agents us all of a sodden we need to know we are in gules
let me be clear yes we are in gules but we still have the right to speak our minds
the remarks of most of the commenters are disgraceful They are hateful and they only arouse anti-Semitism. This Congresswoman was wrong and she apologized. When was the last time President Trump apologized for any of his hateful comments? And yet, most of the commentators embrace him . Truly disgraceful but sadly, this has become the mantra of so many of our brethren who have totally sold their soul to an orange pompadour.
Here is en excerpt from her apology:
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH…Some of my best friends are Jewish…BLAH, BLAH, BLAH….
Chuck, Nancy, did i do it right?
Rabbiofberlin, so we now know how this congresswoman really feels in her heart. I’m glad you accept her apology. I’m sure you accepted Germany’s apology too. We are very different people. I believe no apology in the world will bring back 6 million Jews. Apology not accepted!
rabbiofberlin, i am very happy to see that you are so compassionate to “This Congresswoman ” and willing to forgive her past and present antisemitism who supports BSD and ISIS and still calls Israel evil. I just wish you extend the same to President Trump, the one you call “orange pompadour” who has done so much for Jewish People and Israel than nobody else in the WH done before him..
And the biggest request i have for you: please stop preaching the rest of us your “morality”, it is nauseating.
moisheingolus- I am not compassionate to this Congresswoman and neither are scores of other Democrats who called her out in harsh terms!. No one is forgiving any of her anti-Semitic statements-this is pretty clear rom the backlash she faced- and for that she had to grovel and apologize. That is a good thing. As far as the President, you may change your tune when you see the “peace deal’ that his son in law and his attorney have concocted and that -as leaked- divides Jerushalaim and gives the Palestinians a state o the doorstep of Har Habayis, yes, a lot of good for the jews he is doing!
@RT:
Glad to see you became a Lamdan as well!!
No hakoras hotov to the President who always helps Jews, but to this psycho Arab “hakaras hotov”
RT you are the same jerk as this Arab!!!!!!
TGISHabbos: Have you ever heard of ‘wiedergutmachung” or are you too young to even know this term? Ask your parents and grandparents. And you are right- no apologies will bring back six million Jews but your attitude guarantees that Jews will be accused of crimes against humanity.
Rabbiofberlin, you just don’t get it. Take the Pittsburgh massacre. The shooter didn’t go in and kill Jews because of their attitudes towards humanity, their selfishness, their political ideologies towards immigration. He killed them for one reason- because they were JEWS. Hitler killed us because we were JEWS. The Spanish Inquisition threw us out because we were JEWS. I take someone at face value, and if they verbally or physically threaten Jews, I take them seriously. The girl murdered in Israel last week by a Palestinian terrorist was killed because she was a Jew, not because of her attitude towards humanity. I thank Hashem everyday to be born a Jew, and will now be thankful that I am not a liberal speakingpiece like you. I may be young, but I don’t hold the liberal stubbornness which you will go to the grave with
Rabbiofberlin, you set such a good example of attitudes and respect when you call the president a orange pompadour. I didn’t like have Obama as president, but I certainly would never be immature or disrespectful to call him a nasty nickname or something racist, because he was president. Looks like the same rules don’t apply for you.
TGISHAbbos- -First, if you did not address Obama with disrespect then you are to be commended-sadly-“puk mo amo diber’ go out and listen to the deep disdain that many Orthodox Jews ‘meanshei shelomeinu’ , had for Obama. So, yes, you can request from me that I address the present President with some respect- hopefully, we can expect the same from others on the opposite side.
As far as the reason for the persecution of us throughout the centuries- of course it was, and is, because many in the world hate us. This is a given. And may I sat that the Congresswoman probably has disdain for Jews in her heart- my point was that she was criticized by every person of her party and many others for the terms she used.She had to grovel and apologize, which is a good thing. But there is no need for xenophobic attacks on minorities who came to the US for refuge. They are only doing what our parents and grandparents did.
rabbiofberlin, I actually don’t think the Congresswoman or anyone in government should be forced to apologize- Republican or Democrat. If a politician truly feels a certain way, then (within certain measurable legalities) he/she can opine whatever they want. If she hates Jews or Israel, then say it, and no need for apology. The voters can and absolutely should decide.
I believe most politicians called her out in order to protect their own Seats when the next election comes around. I don’t know how Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman (FL- D) really feels, but because her district is very Jewish it was wise for her to speak out against it. Was she forced? I don’t think so, and I hope not.
I don’t live in the districts of this Congresswoman, but it’s safe to say that she would’ve lost my vote for eternity. I don’t think it’s a racist or xenophobic measure from me. Just as she has the liberty to say as she pleases, I have the liberty to vote for another candidate. Doesn’t matter if she were R or D.