In Het Land of The Free Criticizing 'The Jewish State' is Forbidden

Public Rebuke of Ilhan Omar for Substantive Critique of Israeli Policy a 'Disgrace,' Say Progressives

"Instead of throwing her under the bus, Democratic leadership should have Rep. Omar's back in pushing back against increasingly dangerous attacks and threats from the far right." 

by

Eoin Higgins, staff writer

 48 Comments

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waves to supporters at an election night results party on November 6, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

A growing chorus of criticism  from progressives across the country is targeting House Democrats who plan to publicly rebuke one of their own on Wednesday for talking about the influence of a powerful D.C. lobbying group.

On Wednesday, House leadership will introduce a resolution (pdf) to the floor calling out anti-Semitism in American life and politics. Though the resolution does not name Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the Congresswoman's recent comments questioning the ongoing influence and power of the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) on U.S. politics were the impetus for the resolution, POLITICO reported on Monday. 

Staffers for Pelosi and top Democrats, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), began drafting the resolution over the weekend as the confrontation between Omar and her colleagues unfolded on Twitter.

Progressive advocacy group CREDO expressed dissatisfaction with House leadership in a statement.

"Speaker Pelosi and Democratic leaders in the House need to stop attacking Rep. Ilhan Omar," wrote CREDO Action co-director Heidi Hess. "Rep. Omar’s willingness to voice badly needed and substantive critiques about Israeli government policies and disturbing trends in American foreign policy has earned her public condemnation, slander, and even threats of physical violence."

"Instead of throwing her under the bus," Hess added, "Democratic leadership should have Rep. Omar's back in pushing back against increasingly dangerous attacks and threats from the far right."

Members of the House GOP, meanwhile, are pushing to strip Omar of her committee assignments and may introduce a resolution to that effect on Wednesday. Prominent House Republicans made the case for the move on Twitter. 

Further Reading: https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/03/05/public-rebuke-ilhan-omar-substantive-critique-israeli-policy-disgrace-say?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=Public%20Rebuke%20of%20Ilhan%20Omar%20for%20Substantive%20Critique%20of%20Israeli%20Policy%20a%20%27Disgrace%2C%27%20Say%20Progressives&utm_campaign=%27If%20We%20Stop%2C%20the%20World%20Stops%21%27%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review&utm_content=email&utm_source=Weekly%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&cm_mmc=Act-On%20Software-_-email-_-%27If%20We%20Stop%2C%20the%20World%20Stops%21%27%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review-_-Public%20Rebuke%20of%20Ilhan%20Omar%20for%20Substantive%20Critique%20of%20Israeli%20Policy%20a%20%27Disgrace%2C%27%20Say%20Progressives