WASHINGTON — The House voted along party lines to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-5th District, from a panel with jurisdiction on foreign affairs, approving a GOP resolution that accused the Somalia-born lawmaker of antisemitic remarks.
Thursday’s resolutions said the Minnesota Democrat, who represents a Twin Cities-based district in Congress, “suggested that Jewish people and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) were buying political support” because of the lawmaker’s 2019 tweet that said, ‘‘It’s all about the Benjamins, baby.”
Approved on a strait party line 218-211 vote, the resolution also condemned other criticisms Omar made about Israel and about U.S.-Israel relations. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, and other GOP House leaders spent days corralling a handful of reluctant House Republicans to support the resolution. A Republican lawmaker from Ohio, Rep. David Joyce, voted “present.”
Omar has largely apologized for her controversial comments.
During debate on the resolution on the House floor, a defiant and emotional Omar said she would not be silenced, whether she remained on the Foreign Affairs Committee or not.
“I didn’t come to Congress to be silenced,” she said. “My leadership and voice will not be diminished if I am not on this committee for one term. My voice will get louder and stronger and my leadership will be celebrated around the world as it has been.”
Besides a poster of herself as a 9-year-old refugee, Omar said she was being attacked for her background as a Muslim who was born in Africa.
“Who gets to be an American? What opinions do you have to have to be counted as American? That is what this debate is about,” she said. “There is this idea that you are suspect if you are an immigrant. Or if you are from a certain part of the world, of a certain skin tone or a Muslim.”
The resolution was introduced by freshman Rep. Max Miller of Ohio, one of two Jewish Republicans in the House of Representatives. He said Omar’s comments threatened U.S. relations with a key ally, Israel, “the forever home of the Jewish people.”
“Given her biased comments against Israel and against Jewish people, how can she serve as an objective decision-maker on the committee?” Miller asked.
Rep. Dean Phillips, D-3rd District, followed with a passionate defense of his fellow Minnesota lawmaker. He said Omar’s comments often offended him and caused “personal pain to me and others.” But Phillips said he has spoken face-to-face with Omar over her controversial comments and that he and “90% of the Jewish members of Congress” supported that she remain on the foreign affairs panel “because we believe in the human capacity to learn from our mistakes.”
Democrats said Speaker Kevin McCarthy and fellow House GOP members targeted Omar because former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, successfully stripped Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, of all of their committee jobs.
Greene caused an uproar for her support of online comments encouraging violence against Democratic officials. Gosar was sanctioned by Pelosi for posting a violent animated video on his social media that showed him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and attacking President Biden.
“It’s about political revenge. That’s what it is about,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York.
McCarthy, who has sought Omar’s removal for months, denied it was a “tit-for-tat.” He said if it were so, Omar would have been removed from other committees.
“I think in moving forward, every single member of Congress has a responsibility to how they carry themselves,” McCarthy said.
While Omar lost her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday, she remains on the House Education and Workforce Committee. She was in line to be the highest-ranking Democrat on a panel on the Foreign Affairs Committee with jurisdiction over policies affecting Africa.
Earlier this week, she announced she planned to create a “U.S.-Africa Policy Working Group” that would aim to “be a clearinghouse for active, sincere, and consistent engagement with experts and policymakers working with and in Africa.”
On Thursday afternoon, Jeffries said he would seat Omar on a new committee, the House Budget Committee, which sets overall spending and debt limits. Omar has sought a seat on the coveted Appropriations Committee.
During the debate on Omar’s resolution, several Democrats cited instances in which Republican members made what they said were anti-Semitic remarks. Those included fundraising efforts by McCarthy and Emmer that accused Democratic fundraisers George Soros, Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg – all Jewish – to “buy” the midterm election and Greene’s 2018 Facebook post that said the Rothschilds, a Jewish banking family, were connected to the wildfires in California.
“A blatant double standard is being applied here,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-New York.
Last week, McCarthy used his authority to remove Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, both Californians, from seats on the House Intelligence Committee.
McCarthy could punish the California Democrats because the intelligence panel is a “select” committee whose members are chosen by leadership. But a vote of the full House was needed to oust Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee, a “standing” committee with authority to produce legislation.
This story was updated to include Omar’s appointment to the House Budget Committee.
Goose please meet Gander…. So Pelosi starts throwing GOP Reps off of committees and that is deemed fine. When McCarthy throws off Dem Reps that is bad. Ok…. Sometimes the ole tit for tat just feels good.
Sometimes the ole tit for tat is regarded as the actions of petulant children, inappropriate for members of a powerful legislative body. And by “sometimes,” I mean “as a general rule.”
When white supremacists get thrown off of committees I am fine with that. The fact that GOPers just feel like that characteristic is no different than any other simply reflects the reality of what all GOPers truly believe.
Todays’s REPs/white nationalists/fascists have zero interest in programs, policies or governing. They care not at all about their constituents needs. Their two-fold goals are to: 1) destroy our federal govn & 2) to entrench ‘white supremacy’, replacing our long established democracy. The past 50 yrs of census data have clearly indicated that in about 10 yrs middle-aged white males wb the NEW MINORITY while blacks & browns wb the NEW MAJORITY. Rather than share equitably and advance all persons, the REPs have painstakingly & carefully put a plan into plan to ensure it never happens (financed by the Kochs, Mercers originally, now by uber wealthy others.) The clock is ticking & they are in PANIC MODE. Hence the dramatic uptick in their dastardly, dishonest tactics and behaviours. A planned coup/insurrection. Undoing Roe v Wade. Attacking gays & trans. IT’S ALL ABOUT BLATANT RACISM. THEY MUST BE STOPPED.
Greene and Gosar were removed from their committees two years ago because of threats of violence. It’s not tit for tat. It’s revenge.
GOP is the official party of religious bigotry. They don’t bother to hide any more. What a disgusting display. They don’t have any place in a decent society. Fake patriots, fake Christians. Americans in name only!
This is so obviously motivated by vengeance. Any rationale based on her alleged anti-Semitism holds no weight when compared to some of the actions and words of Republican politicians who have faced no consequences for worse offenses. Regardless of all this theatre, I am proud to say that Ilhan Omar is my representative. We need more people like her in Congress that are willing to speak truth to power.
“While Omar lost her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday, she remains on the House Education and Workforce Committee.” It seems to me that the republicans that Pelosi removed were removed from ALL committees.
Leaving out the little nugget that the votes to remove Greene and Gosar were both bipartisan.
Also leaving out the nugget that Greene and Gosar were removed because of their use of violent imagery regarding other members of Congress.
Well, for Republicans, jokes about shooting Dems are FUNNY. But Dems accusing people of being bribable hits a little too close to home & must be punished.
Well look deeper: WHY were they removed??? The REPs removed support white supremacy.
They openly work AGAINST our form of government, our democracy, our Constitution, our rules & laws. They went along w the worst president EVER by supporting his planned coup/insurrection!!! Treason is the worst, the #1 top crime, in this country. Punishable I believe still: by hanging. Seditious conspiracy is #2, and what the Oath Keepers & Proud Boys to-date have been sentenced with. 20byrs in jail. The Justice Dept hasn’t tried or sentenced the head of the snake yet. No one involved in such damaging & despicable actions should remain in high office. They should ALL be in jail for life at the very least. What they did was not ok by any standard. For them to act all belligerent and upset now & ‘getting even’ is beyond childish & disingenuous. It’d be laughable if it wasn’t so serious. None of the DEMs have behaved so egregiously. None of them have broken any laws. None of them have actively tried to destroy our federal government. The REPs ‘faux outrage’ is absurd & childish and they sb called out on it every day, in every way. Instead our ‘media’, currently owned by half a dozen wealthy types, sugar coats & glosses over things. Effectively tamping down & downright misleading the public. They aren’t trying to prevent an uproar so much as they are jumping thru hoops protecting the treasonists. I have never been so disgusted by what’s happening in our country as I am right now:( Where are the informed, clear-eyed upstanding citizens standing up & calling out these atrocious behaviors????
Well you have to admit, the “R” folks are staying true to brand: Racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic anti immigrant, etc. etc. etc. and of course anything to get one up on the libs!
Omar is my Representative in Congress, and not my favorite member of the House, but she should remain on Foreign Affairs, if for no other reason that to provide an occasional counterpoint to the usual Congressional attitude that “Israel can do no wrong.”
Mr. McCarthy’s line, “I think in moving forward, every single member of Congress has a responsibility to how they carry themselves,” is rhetorically spot-on, but in practice, stupidly self-serving and disingenuous. If he actually believed what he said, Ms. Greene and Mr. Gosar would be on no committees, and would be shunned by their own party members on the House floor.
Not to mention the Liar of the Year, George Santos.
Only Kevin McCarthy has the ability to Make Ilhan Omar a sympathetic figure. Take heart, Ms. Omar, a fundraising windfall is headed your way and the opportunity to be heard will never be greater.
More millions she can use to pay her “political consultant” husband.
A very small & corrected mistake indeed compared to the glaring racism, misogyny & TREASON perpetrated by today’s REPS. And then there’s their fascism agenda being shoved down our collective throats incessantly. Come on!
Phillips(one of the few sane and effective members) nailed it. Meanwhile Green and Bobert remain silent on any apologies for their repeated and offensive, delusional remarks. Congress is mostly theater these days rather than an effective branch of government.
Interesting that members of the Minnesota Congressional worked to hurt one of their colleagues.
The Party above all.
“Last week, McCarthy used his authority to remove Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell,”
Why were Schiff and Swalwell removed?
Because Trump wanted it. What did you think?
One out of three correct is not bad.
That remark makes absolutely no sense.
Schiff because he is effective, Swalwell because he is dating a communist. Omar was removed because she is black, a Muslim, and a woman which means Republicans can think they can bully her.
No Hiram, Schiff because he lied and leaked false information steady, can’t be trusted. A great move by GOP trying to restore the 17% approval and trust rating congress has. Swalwell because he was dating a Chinese spy, good ole Fang Fang…. That revelation led to the 17% trust and approval rating. Omar wasn’t thrown off for being black (great use of race as a default position, very Leftie of you), she was tossed for uttering multiple anti Israel statements.
All 3 needed to booted from their specific committee and let someone else more trustworthy or competent take their place.
As with Mr. Gotzman’s remark, your comment only repeats the lame excuses provided by Speaker McCarthy. None of these excuses is supported by any evidence or fact based reason. Ilan Omar was removed for speaking against AIPAC, and the lobbying influence of reactionary factions of the Israeli government on US policy not anti-semitism. If the GOP were honestly and sincerely opposed to anti-semitsim, McCarthy would have bounced GOP members like Taylor Greene from committee assignments. McCarthy’s actions bespeak sheer partisanship motivated by revenge.
One out of three correct is not bad!
Because they were too effective in bringing some of the many crimes of Donald Trump to light, and explaining them.
They certainly weren’t removed for any legitimate reason, nor was Omar.
Just think if a member of the GOP had used the racist language of Omar. You would have gone into a name-calling tirade.
It happened, or don’t you regard “Jewish space lasers” as problematic? Maybe when Speaker McCarthy used pretty obvious anti-Semitic language in campaign materials you were okay with that.
Incidentally, equating criticism of Israel with racism shows you don’t have a clue what racism really is.
Oh they’ve all done soooo much worse. Over & over & over again. And still! And we’re all supposed to just look away. Ignore it all. Cuz THEY say so. Nope, not gonna happen.
BK, see TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) and realize Trump is not in office or holding any public office. Remember Schiff coming from closed door meetings saying he just saw confidential material involving Trump and Russia, Russia, Russia. When asked about it under oath, Schiff admitted he had nothing of the sort. That is how 83% of Americans (who actually look for news) have no trust in Congress. Explain how effective they were at actually solving a problem not creating one.
The REPs always create chaos & damage & debt. Big messes. The DEMs always fix them. Every DEM pres in my lifetime has left the country w a surplu$. No REP pres ever has. The DEMs give the people Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security & the ACA (healthcare). All hugely popular! And therein lies the rub: that popularity. So now the REP’s top 2 agenda items are to: 1) defund/get rid of Socual Security & 2) Medicare! (Which all employed Americans contribute to, by the way.) Who didn’t see this coming?? Guess they figure if the programs end everyone will start voting for REPs??? Yeah they’re not bright; just PETTY & VENGEFUL.
Everything you have written is total nonsense, except for the fact that the citizenry holds the Congress in low regard. But that has held across both Dem and Repub Congresses for decades And I think I doubtful that the shenanigans of McCarthy and his Repubs here are going to do much to restore the lustre of Congress …
You remember the Bigamist, that married her brother and committed immigration fraud and was funded by the daycare scam and the feed the children scam while funneling all the election funds to her new husband after a Tijuana divorce from her brother that if any other MN resident had filed would have thrown back in their face by a lowly clerk and never have had a hearing. Has she filed for divorce from her first husband or did they ever marry, might still be a bigamist.
Perhaps you should be Omar’s unofficial biographer, Ed. I’m sure you would give a fair-minded appraisal of her life!
Schiff was leaking confidential foreign affairs committee notes to the Washington Post, and Swalwell was sleeping with a Chinese spy (Fang Fang). No big deal, Diane Feinstein had a communist Chinese driver for decades.
Do you have anything to support these accusations of evil doing? Or is this a friend of a friend of a friend that got it off a top secret internet site on the dark web?
None of which come close to INSURRECTION.
Because they are both risks to national security.
That’s totally preposterous, and not based on any remotely objective appraisal of the facts.
One reason & one reason only: Cuz they had the guts/balls to be on a committee to investigate the Jan 6th insurrection.
McCarthy also appointed “George Santos” to committees. (Yes, “Santos” has since recused himself until all investigations are completed but McCarthy made it possible for “Santos” to be in a position to do so.)
Speaking of “carrying,” McCarthy is carrying water for tRump in a totally subservient posture.
So Democrats can boot Republicans off committees when in power but Republicans cannot?
Well Andy, we don’t need to BS around here, are you saying that in your opinion, fairness means, Al Capone’s henchmen should be on the team that is investigating him for criminality?
Thanks for this very nuanced analysis of the situation! That’s exactly what’s going on here…
If you break laws, caise grave fed govn bldg damage, and plan & support a Trump attempt to destroy our federal government violently: YES!!!!!!!! Furthermore they should have already been removed from office, banned from running again (14th Amendment) and in jail for life!!!! WTH? This isn’t difficult to understand. ***It’s willful OBFUSCATION on the Rs side. ***(Apparently they thought they could pull all thus shite w zero repercussions! Again, how immature, childish & stupid on their part! The wheels of justice have moved waaay too slowly for many of us…but they are still rolling. And getting closer & closer to the planners & implementors of the insurrection daily. Tho by the time they indict the top orange dog, he may well be in jail for other serious crimes committed.)
Requesting House GOP monetize this vengeance so Americans can afford a dozen eggs. Thanks for considering it.
Omar seems to like the public attention, but her comments actually hurt her agenda because she does not change policy, just generates clickbait. I don’t see how that changes anything. And I don’t think there are too many Palestinians in her district. The Palestinian issue is more than simple religious bias, and the issue is inflamed by neighboring Muslim countries, for geopolitical gain. She offends Jewish people in her district without concern, which is why she always has a Democrat running against her in primaries. It would be interesting to see how she would fare against a more moderate candidate in a general election instead of the dingbats she usually runs against in the general election.
“Omar seems to like the public attention . . .”
Which distinguishes her from every other elected official in America how, exactly? Getting attention is how elections are won in this country.
“It would be interesting to see how she would fare against a more moderate candidate in a general election instead of the dingbats she usually runs against in the general election.”
Yes, all America is crying for Moderates to swoop in and save us all. Kind of like the Justice League, only moderately.
You miss the point, her seeking public
Attention is the whole point. Where is here public works projects for the district? Where are her major policy bills. She only seeks attention and accomplishes internet fame. Can you point to any significant project or funding for your district. Then look at what Sabo did- Fed Reserve building, Hennepin Bridge, 55 corridor redo. Even Ellison brought improvements to the district. Still waiting for Ilhan, she passed one small bill in MN legislature.
My point is simple- show us you deserve to be there for the district, not for your self promotion. I am lucky, I have a good rep in McCollum who gets it and is now lead appropriator. Do you EVER see Omar rising yo that level of authority due to the respect of her peers? Face it, she is the Dem version of MJG or Gaetz. Controversial for the sake of controversy, not accomplishment. And she wins by the same mechanism they do- safe seat and no one to check her behavior.
“Significant projects” for the Fifth District are detailed on her website. The media and the public are, however, interested largely in the more salacious rumors about her personal life.
Rep. Omar has been an important voice for human rights and morality in US foreign policy. No, it may not always result in “major legislation (major as defined by whom?),” but it is nonetheless significant, especially for those who view Congressional oversight of foreign policy as something appropriate for members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
It’s funny how you object to her “seeking public attention” yet complain that she hasn’t sought that attention for her policy bills. Congress.gov has 35 pages of bills sponsored by her in the 117th Congress. A pity that people would rather hear lies about her brother, isn’t it?
I particularly appreciated the meltdown the squad and adjacent had on the Legislative floor about this. A perfect example of progressive liberal if I don’t get what I want I am going to wail in furious indignation in a way that would be humiliating if I had any self-awareness. A new phrase to share, Marxcissist, combining the worst of ideologies with narcissism.
“[F]urious indignation in a way that would be humiliating if I had any self-awareness.”
As the man said, if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
Touching to see McCarthy’s concern. The man who, right around the time the deadliest attack on American Jews occurred in Pittsburgh, said “We cannot allow Soros, Steyer, and Bloomberg to buy this election”.
No, no republican anti-semitism to see here!
Something tells me Ilhan Omar will be remembered in a more positive light than McCarthy. Despite some old fellas here who may disagree.
There is a lot of animosity, even by some Democrats, towards Ilhan Omar but I wish they would try to consider the value she brings. She has had an amazing journey from Somali(!) refugee camp resident to member of the US congress (while being a Black African Muslim woman!). Her life experiences have given her a unique lens on world affairs. They have also given her a strong drive to speak truth to power. She (maybe not surprisingly) can be prone to verbal awkwardness and a certain amount of cultural naivety and has apologized when realizing how certain of her words have been interpreted. She is regarded with suspicion by those who dislike her motives or simply feel threatened by her presence. But her work towards social justice has gained the trust and approval of enough of her constituents to be reelected. Importantly, her willingness speak out against Israel’s reprehensible behavior is rare in American politics. It is to our country’s detriment that we try to silence voices like hers.
Gosar was booted for posting a video version of him swinging a sword and cutting off the head of AOC. That is supposed to be funny, when ISIS did that to real people? Note to Gosar – AOC is not Muslim. Greene was booted off for many reasons, but one was because she suggested that California wildfires were not started by lightning or power lines, but by Jewish space lasers paid for by the Rothschilds. Bringing up the Rothschilds is on par with blaming the Jews for killing Jesus. In January Republicans showed they standards by seating George Santos and putting him on committees. Maybe they will disown him when he is convicted of something?
So, apparently, Republicans are just fine with execution of election officials (hang Hillary, Mike Pence, etc.) and bigotry against non-Christians to appeal to their base, but if anyone is bold enough to be critical of the Netanyahu administration and its relentless attacks of its neighbors, in some case targeting sleeping children, that is anti-Semitic? Omar is not white, Christian, native born, submissive and shows “weakness” when she apologizing for poorly chosen words – everything Republican men dislike in a package. A bunch are here doing a victory dance. Might be your party’s top accomplishment over the next two years?
You know, the irony of McCarthy making an issue or Rep. Omar, is that the net effect is to add rather than detract from her prominence and influence. They put newbie congresspeople on Foreign Affairs, because it combines an appearance of importance with a lack of importance. It seems like a big deal back in the district when it isn’t. But now, Rep. Omar’s stature has been enhanced as she gets lots of national news coverage as someone the Speaker of the House feels compelled to victimize.
These posts are just a winner. Racist, white supremist, misogynistic, etc. Truly laughable language. Very few of the members elected to congress are actual leaders. We lack leadership all across the board. And we sit here and whine when we don’t get our way and call each other names. It just warms my heart to read all these comments.
McCarthy is walking a tightrope over a house of cards. He knows at some point he’s going to have to put on his adult hat and deal with the debt ceiling, budget negotiations, and a host of other things that are supposed to be non-partisan, and it’s going to anger the far-right members of his caucus who showered him with fourteen humiliations before he agreed to neuter himself to get the gavel. Kicking Omar, Schiff, and Swalwell off their committee assignments was pure theater to pacify certain representatives who are completely unqualified to serve in Congress.
At some point – probably sooner than later – he’s going to anger just one of these nutjobs who will force a vote to take the gavel away from him. Remember, now it only takes one person to force a vote of no confidence. Does McCarthy really think he’s going to get ANY Democratic support – which he will then need to survive – without serious conditions from Hakeem Jeffries?