WASHINGTON — It started as a resolution condemning anti-Semitism. Then, anti-Muslim bias was added in. After that came white supremacy. And by the end, it cited “African-Americans, Native Americans, and other people of color, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, immigrants and others” victimized by bigotry. The resolution condemning “hateful expressions of intolerance,” which passed the House by an overwhelming 407-to-23 vote Thursday afternoon, was as much a statement of Democrats’ values as their factionalism. Caught in the middle was Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who worked for days to quell the internal uproar that erupted after a freshman Democrat, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, insinuated that backers of Israel exhibit dual loyalty. “I see everything as an opportunity,” Ms. Pelosi told reporters Thursday morning as she announced the vote. “This is an opportunity once again to declare as strongly as possible opposition to anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim statements” and “white supremacist attitudes.” The carefully crafted measure — one Democratic aide called it a “kitchen-sink resolution” — capped an emotional week for Democrats, who found themselves divided along racial and religious lines as they debated how to respond to Ms. Omar.<doc-sep>The House overwhelmingly passed a Democratic resolution on Thursday evening to condemn antisemitism, Islamophobia and other expressions of bigotry after the freshman congresswoman Ilhan Omar again sparked controversy with comments implying supporters of Israel displayed dual loyalty. The 407-23 vote caps a tumultuous week for Democratic leadership as they tried to contain the fallout over Omar’s latest provocative comments, while advancing sweeping election and ethics reform legislation that was a centerpiece of their campaign during the midterm elections last November. All Democrats, including Omar, voted for the resolution while 23 Republicans opposed the measure, including the GOP conference chair Liz Cheney and several members of the arch-conservative House Freedom Caucus. The Iowa congressman Steve King, a Republican who was was stripped of his committee assignments after he questioned why white supremacy had become an offensive term, voted present. The seven-page resolution states that “whether from the political right, center, or left, bigotry, discrimination, oppression, racism, and imputations of dual loyalty threaten American democracy and have no place in American political discourse”. It cites the neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia, the mass shooting of African American churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, the massacre of Jewish members at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and attacks on mosques. Though the document does not name Omar, it was drafted by the Democratic congressmen Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who is Jewish and a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Cedric Richmond, a member of leadership and a previous chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, in response to her comments. “It’s not about her,” the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, told reporters on Thursday. “It’s about these forms of hatred.” She added that she did not believe Omar had understood the “weight of her words”. Omar, who in January became one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress, said Israel’s supporters push lawmakers to pledge “allegiance to a foreign country”, a remark that was viewed by lawmakers of both parties as playing into the antisemitic trope of “dual loyalty” – a myth that Jewish people are more loyal to Israel than their country of residence. How to respond to the comments became a source of internal tension. Some in the party believed the resolution should condemn antisemitism, while others argued that it has unfairly singled out Omar and should be broadened to include anti-Muslim bias. She said the controversy afforded Democrats the opportunity to unequivocally denounce bigotry, attempting to draw a distinction with the US president. “The president may think there are good people on both sides,” Pelosi said referring to Trump’s comments after Charlottesville. “We don’t share that view.” The controversy exposed a rift within the Democratic caucus that cracked along generational, ideological religious and racial lines. Republicans for their part have largely enjoyed the show, interjecting only to fan the flames. Congressman Lee Zeldin, a New York Republican who is Jewish and voted against the resolution, asked why Omar hadn’t apologized for her comments this time. “I don’t believe she is naive. I believe she knows exactly what she’s doing,” he said, adding that criticism of a foreign government is every America’s constitutional right but “it is not an American value to be hurling anti-semitic rhetoric”. Some Jewish lawmakers said they were disappointed in the resolution’s broad scope . “We are having this debate because of the language one of our colleagues, language that suggests that Jews like me who serve in the United States in Congress and whose father earned a purple heart fighting the Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, that we are not loyal Americans,” congressman Ted Deutch, a Florida Democrat who is Jewish, said Thursday in an impassioned speech on the House floor. “Why are we unable to singularly condemn anti-semitism? Why can’t we call antisemitism and show that we’ve learned the lessons of history.” Omar, who came to the US as a refugee from Somalia and is the first woman to wear a hijab in the chamber, has been vocal about the racially and religiously motivated attacks that she’s endured, including accusations that she is “un-American”. A sign posted in the West Virginia capitol last week displayed a photo of Omar below a photograph of New York’s World Trade Center burning after the al-Qaida terrorist attacks of September 11. The Minnesota congresswoman is part of a cohort of young progressive lawmakers who are openly critical of the Israeli government. But critics argue that her remarks amount to a disturbing pattern of antisemitism. She apologized for a 2012 tweet in which she said Israel had “hypnotized” America, then again for suggesting that members of Congress support Israel because they are paid to do so after an unflinching rebuke by her party’s leadership. But this time, her comments sharply divided Democrats. Some lawmakers argued that Omar was being unfairly targeted – and believe the issue is being inflamed by conservatives eager to drive a political wedge in the caucus. The presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris defended her. “What I fear is going on in the House now is an effort to target congresswoman Omar as a way of stifling that debate,” said Sanders, who is Jewish. “That’s wrong.” Harris said Democrats must “speak out against hate” but added that there is a “critical difference between criticism of policy or political leaders, and antisemitism”.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — The House will vote Wednesday on a resolution to condemn anti-Semitism after Rep. Ilhan Omar made controversial remarks about Israel at a D.C. forum last week, a senior Democratic aide said Monday. The staffs of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. ; Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.; and Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., who chairs the Foreign Affairs subcommittee with jurisdiction over Middle East issues, worked on the resolution over the weekend, the aide said. The text of the measure, however, has not yet been finalized. Omar, of Minnesota, referred to Israel at a “progressive town hall” at the bookstore and restaurant Busboys and Poets last week, saying. "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.” "I want to ask, 'Why is it OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA, or fossil fuel industries or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobbying group that is influencing policy?’” she added. On Monday, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote a letter to Pelosi calling on her to hold a vote on a congressional resolution rejecting what he said were Omar’s anti-Semitic statements. “Accusing Jews of having allegiance to a foreign government has long been a vile anti-Semitic slur that has been used to harass, marginalize, and persecute the Jewish people for centuries," Greenblatt wrote. "Sometimes referred to as the 'dual loyalty' charge, it alleges that Jews should be suspected of being disloyal neighbors or citizens because their true allegiance is to their co-religionists around the world or to a secret and immoral Jewish agenda." A draft of the resolution, which does not mention Omar by name, “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." Multiple Democratic lawmakers have also criticized Omar’s remarks and have called on her to apologize, including House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., who demanded Friday that she apologize for a “vile, anti-Semitic slur." Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., a Jewish lawmaker and chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, tweeted Saturday, “Lawmakers must be able to debate w/o prejudice or bigotry. 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.” In response, Omar tweeted: “Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! 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. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that!” Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! 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. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that! https://t.co/gglAS4FVJW — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 3, 2019 On Sunday, Lowey responded on Twitter: “No member of Congress is asked to swear allegiance to another country. Throughout history, Jews have been accused of dual loyalty, leading to discrimination and violence, which is why these accusations are so hurtful” She added, “I believe we can debate important policy without using offensive, painful stereotypes.” No member of Congress is asked to swear allegiance to another country. Throughout history, Jews have been accused of dual loyalty, leading to discrimination and violence, which is why these accusations are so hurtful. — Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) March 3, 2019 This is not the first time Omar has come under fire for making controversial comments about Israel. Last month, she was apologized for tweets about the Israel lobby in the United States that House Democratic leaders condemned as anti-Semitic in a statement.<doc-sep>House Democratic leaders are delaying a vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism that had been slated to take place on Wednesday, according to a Democratic aide. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that the resolution should emphasize an “anti-hate” message. Clyburn told Fox News Tuesday evening they were “still drafting” the resolution, but feels it should be "anti-hate." The measure is expected to be updated to include language condemning anti-Muslim bias. The resolution comes in the wake of Rep. Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarGOP senators introduce resolution condemning antisemitic violence amid 'horrific' spike in attacks US sees startling rise in antisemitic attacks Ilhan Omar is wrong about 'Cold War' with China MORE's (D-Minn.) most recent controversial comments on Israel. "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,” she said during a forum at a bookstore last week. Her remarks sparked strong backlash from members on both sides of the aisle, who argued her comments were anti-Semitic. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Omar did not respond to reporters' questions on Tuesday evening. An initial draft of the resolution does not name Omar specifically, but does condemn "accusations of dual loyalty generally have an insidious, bigoted history" and "acknowledges the dangerous consequences of perpetuating anti-Semitic stereotypes. "Top Republicans have called on Democrats to take a harder line on the issue, arguing the text of resolution should specifically reprimand Omar. "I'm hearing that they are even going to pull back on their resolution that didn't even mention her - that they are afraid they can't even pass that," House Minority Leader(R-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday. "That's what I was just told on the floor, which to me is very concerning."Rep.(R-N.Y. ), who has previously sparred with Omar on Twitter over comments she made in the past, said Democrats should work across the aisle on the resolution. "It would be good for them to bring to make this a bipartisan effort, work with Republicans and that would send a very strong message that an issue like this should transcend politics," he told The Hill. "The entire chamber united in January passing a resolution about white supremacy and it was determinedcouldn't serve on the Small Business Committee anymore. We should go to the House floor just like we all stand united. "Zeldin noted it's not the first time the House has felt the need to condemn anti-Semitism in response to comments made by Omar, adding he believes Democratic leadership needs to remove her from her committee assignment. "I don't believe that she should have been appointed to the Foreign Affairs Committee in the first place and that even if she's not removed she's going to get herself kicked off that committee sooner rather than later," he continued.While her comments were met with bipartisan pushback, a number of progressive lawmakers have come to Omar's defense. "One of the things that is hurtful about the extent to which reprimand is sought of Ilhan is that no one seeks this level of reprimand when members make statements about Latinx + other communities (during the shutdown, a GOP member yelled “Go back to Puerto Rico!” on the floor)," Rep.(D-N.Y.) tweeted.<doc-sep>
The House voted to condemn all forms of hatred and violence on Thursday in response to more controversial comments on Israel from Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. The resolution makes note of Omar's comments about loyalties to Israel, but does not mention her by name. First slated for a vote on Wednesday, Democrats postponed to add language reflecting condemnation of all forms of bigotry, in addition to anti-Semitism. Omar had previously apologized for comments and tweets that many of her fellow Democrats criticized as offensive to Jews. The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to condemn all forms of bigotry after more comments from Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota about Israel sparked backlash from congressional allies of the Jewish state. While the resolution does not mention Omar by name, it does point to anti-Semitic tropes made by the freshman Democrat, who has apologized for earlier comments criticizing Israel and pro-Israel lobbying of Congress. The final vote tally was 407-23-1. In total, 23 lawmakers — all Republicans — voted against the resolution, including House republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney. Most of the "no" votes came from right-leaning conservative members. In addition, Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa voted "present." Cheney explained her vote in a statement following the resolution's passage. "Today's resolution vote was a sham put forward by Democrats to avoid condemning one of their own and denouncing vile anti-Semitism," she said. "While I stand whole heartedly against discrimination outlined in this resolution, the language before the House today did not address the issue that is front and center." Initially, the resolution had been crafted by senior Democrats to just condemn anti-Semitism. But after backlash from some House Democrats and progressive groups who claimed it unfairly targeted Omar, leadership postponed the vote. Democrats crafted a new text of the resolution to reflect a wide condemnation of all hatred and bigotry. After much debate, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer informed Democrats during the Thursday whip meeting they would finally be voting on the resolution, according to a senior Democratic aide. The new resolution includes language to condemn all forms of hatred and intolerance, citing dozens of examples throughout American history, including the types of anti-Semitism associated Omar's comments. "Whereas all Americans, including Jews, Muslims, and Christians and people of all faiths and no faith, have a stake in fighting anti-Semitism, as all Americans have a stake in fighting every form of bigotry and hatred against people based on religion, race, or place of birth and origin," the resolution reads. While speaking on a panel at a Washington, DC bookstore event, Omar suggested allies of Israel are adhering to a dual loyalty with the Jewish state, a common anti-Semitic trope. "So for me, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country," Omar said. Omar's comments also drew widespread condemnation from senior House Democrats. "I welcome debate in Congress based on the merits of policy, but it’s unacceptable and deeply offensive to call into question the loyalty of fellow American citizens because of their political views, including support for the U.S.-Israel relationship," Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel said in a statement. "We all take the same oath. Worse, Representative Omar’s comments leveled that charge by invoking a vile anti-Semitic slur." "Lawmakers must be able to debate [without] prejudice or bigotry," House Appropriations Chairwoman and New York Rep. Nita Lowey wrote on Twitter. "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." Omar had previously apologized for parroting anti-Semitic tropes, which drew condemnation from Republicans and Democrats alike. Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have made a point of repeatedly calling on House Democratic leadership to remove her from her post on the influential House Foreign Affairs Committee. Trump also suggested Omar resign from Congress, calling her apology "lame."