SANCTIONED? House Democrats To Take Action Against Rep. Omar’s Anti-Semitic Comments!

From Politico:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Democrats will take floor action Wednesday in response to controversial remarks by Rep. Ilhan Omar about Israel, the second such rebuke of the freshman Democrat from party leaders in recent weeks.

Pelosi and other senior Democrats have drafted a resolution to address the controversy, which ballooned over the weekend following a public clash between Omar and senior Jewish lawmakers. 

The resolution, which began circulating to members Monday night, comes after a backlash from top Democrats who accused Omar of anti-Semitism for referring to pro-Israel advocates’ “allegiance to a foreign country.”

The draft measure is four pages that largely details the history and recent rise of anti-Semitism in the U.S. but does not specifically name Omar, which had been an internal dispute among Democrats.

Instead, it condemns the "myth of dual loyalty," using the same language as top Democrats, like House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, who have condemned Omar in recent days.

If the House moves ahead with the vote on Wednesday as planned, it would be an unprecedented public rebuke of Omar, who was sworn into office just over 60 days ago. Omar's office declined to comment about the Democratic resolution on Monday.

Yet these efforts by Pelosi and other Democratic leaders won't be enough for Republicans, who want a more serious punishment for Omar.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and other senior Republicans are considering offering a censure motion against Omar, according to GOP sources. Republicans may also formally demand that Democrats strip Omar of her seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, a move that Pelosi and other senior Democrats won't take at this point.

Republicans see the furor over Omar as an opportunity to drive a wedge between Democratic supporters of Israel — long an unquestioned position inside both parties — and younger lawmakers who are highly critical of Israel's treatment of Palestinians. 

Omar’s remarks are just the latest in a series of comments she's made that many of her Democratic colleagues say are blatantly anti-Semitic and must be retracted. 

Democratic leaders are still debating whether to mention Omar by name in the resolution, according to multiple sources. 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.

Two of the House’s most senior Democrats — Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel and Lowey — called out Omar in public statements, demanding she apologize.

Lowey condemned Omar’s use of “offensive, painful stereotypes,” leading to a fight on Twitter as Omar dug in on her comments and was cheered by some on the left.

“Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman!” Omar wrote, later adding, “I have not mischaracterized our relationship with Israel, I have questioned it and that has been clear from my end.”

Here's more, from The Hill:

The House will vote Wednesday on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism in response to freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-Minn.) latest controversial comments about the U.S.-Israel relationship, a senior Democratic aide said Monday. 

Omar has come under fire for saying at a Washington bookstore forum last week that pro-Israel advocates are pushing "allegiance to a foreign country."

Staffs from the offices of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) worked on the resolution over the weekend. 

The senior Democratic aide said the resolution, which was first reported by Politico, was being drafted before the Anti-Defamation League sent a letter on Monday urging Democratic leaders to consider a resolution condemning Omar's remarks.

A copy of the resolution's text obtained by The Hill does not specifically cite Omar's latest comments.

It does state that "accusations of dual loyalty generally have an insidious, bigoted history," and declares that the House "acknowledges the dangerous consequences of perpetuating anti-Semitic stereotypes" and "rejects anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States."

The resolution further notes that the history of dual loyalty accusations includes the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War II and "the post-9/11 conditions faced by Muslim-Americans in the United States, including unfounded, vicious attacks on and threats to Muslim-American members of Congress."

It won't be the first time the House has voted in recent weeks to condemn anti-Semitism in response to comments made by Omar about Israel. Omar last month apologized after suggesting that U.S. lawmakers defending Israel were motivated by money, writing on Twitter that "it's all about the Benjamins baby."

Omar's latest remarks at the bookstore event last week came while arguing that critics calling her anti-Semitic were trying to silence debate in bad faith.

"I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country," Omar said.

Omar doubled down on her comments over the weekend, despite criticism from Engel and House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), both of whom are Jewish.  

"I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee," Omar tweeted.

"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." 

The Anti-Defamation League had called on House Democratic leaders to formally condemn comments from freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) suggesting that pro-Israel groups push "allegiance to a foreign country."

The group's CEO and national director, Jonathan Greenblatt, urged Pelosi in a letter to consider a House resolution to reject Omar's latest remark, which he said echoed an anti-Semitic slur accusing Jews of allegiance to a foreign government. 

"That is why that, in light of these additional anti-Semitic statements by Rep. Omar, we ask that you give the entire Congress an opportunity, through a House resolution, to voice its rejection of her latest slur and make clear that no matter what may divide the 435 members of the House of Representatives, they are united in condemning anti-Semitism. We urge you and your colleagues to send the unambiguous message that the United States Congress is no place for hate," Greenblatt wrote.

Greenblatt, in his letter to Pelosi, acknowledged that the controversy came as a poster on display at the West Virginia statehouse comparing Omar to the terrorists in the Sept. 11 attacks caused a fight to break out in West Virginia.

"Linking Omar (and by extrapolation other Muslim-Americans) to the 9/11 attacks is unconscionable, and an extremely dangerous incitement to violence. However, that offense cannot excuse or rationalize anti-Semitism. If anything, it should remind someone how hurtful such hateful stereotypes can be," Greenblatt wrote. 

Engel had issued a statement late Friday accusing Omar, who serves on his committee, of invoking a "vile anti-Semitic slur" and called on her to apologize.

"Her comments were outrageous and deeply hurtful, and I ask that she retract them, apologize, and commit to making her case on policy issues without resorting to attacks that have no place in the Foreign Affairs Committee or the House of Representatives," Engel said in the statement.

Lowey also called for Omar to apologize. 

"I am saddened that Rep. Omar continues to mischaracterize support for Israel. I urge her to retract this statement and engage in further dialogue with the Jewish community on why these comments are so hurtful," Lowey tweeted.

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