Tag: Ilhan Omar

‘You have trafficked in hate your whole life’: Rep. Ilhan Omar swings back at Trump

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. Credit: Tom Williams, CQ Roll Call file photo

Trump called on Omar to resign from Congress and her seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., knocked the president in a tweet Wednesday, highlighting his record of racial and religious discrimination and bucking his calls for her to resign.

“You have trafficked in hate your whole life — against Jews, Muslims, Indigenous, immigrants, black people and more,” Omar tweeted. “I learned from people impacted by my words. When will you?”

Trump derided Omar Tuesday as having anti-Israeli views “deep seeded in her heart” and labeled her Monday apology as “lame.”

View the complete February 13 article by Emily Kopp on The Roll Call website here.

Trump and the GOP are accused of anti-Semitism double standard after piling on Rep. Ilhan Omar

The Fix’s Eugene Scott analyzes the thin line between criticizing Israel and being labeled anti-Semitic, after Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) comments about AIPAC. (JM Rieger/The Washington Post)

Both messages were elliptical, relying on innuendo and allusion. One was delivered in a seemingly stream-of-consciousness appeal, the other in its online equivalent: a tweet.

The insinuation, in both cases, was that Jews use money to pull strings and sway politics.

The contrasting responses to the opinions, offered by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in December 2015 and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) this week, speak to concerns about double standards and to the different ways in which the two parties police their own members.

View the complete February 12 article by Isaac Stanley-Becker on The Washington Post website here.

Rep. Phillips Response to Anti-Sematic Comments

Phillips reiterates commitment to fostering understanding and collaboration

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) had an impassioned, face to face conversation with Rep. Ilhan Omar this evening during which he expressed offense to her recent anti-Semitic tropes and extended an invitation for future discussions aimed at fostering a better understanding between Jewish and Muslim members of Congress. Rep. Phillips offered a statement following that conversation:

“I strongly condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms, including comments made by my colleague that – purposefully or not – have propagated dangerous and destructive stereotypes of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. As elected leaders, it is our collective responsibility to set standards of respect and elevate understanding between the communities we represent.

I spoke privately with Rep. Ilhan Omar today before issuing a statement in the hopes of converting a painful experience into a learning opportunity and a mutual commitment to pursue understanding. We agreed to move forward with a shared goal of working collaboratively to combat hatred and intolerance towards all persecuted communities, and commit to respectful debate of the issues important to each of us. Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Response to Anti-Sematic Comments”