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Omar reprimands Pelosi over her AIPAC comments: ‘Beneath any leader …’

March 27, 2019 | | Print Article
(File Photo: YouTube screenshot)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to have her hands full just trying to reign in the freshman Democrats who continue to run the show.

The Democratic leader condemned anti-Semitic rhetoric at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference on Tuesday and was quickly slammed by Rep. Ilhan Omar who cited the Constitution and her right to free speech, The Washington Free Beacon reported.

(File Photo: screenshot)

“A condemnation for people that want to exercise their First Amendment rights is beneath any leader, and I hope that we find a better use of language when we are trying to speak as members of Congress that are sworn to protect the Constitution,” Omar told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday.

The Minnesota freshman reportedly walked away without answering when reporters asked if she thought Pelosi’s remarks were aimed at her and fellow Muslim congresswoman, Rep. Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, who also supports the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

Pelosi condemned the global movement during her AIPAC speech Tuesday, appearing at the annual conference that many in her own party, including every one of the Democratic presidential candidates, announced they would skip this year.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas, California Sen. Kamala Harris and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand along with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, were among the 2020 contenders who announced they would not be attending the conference.

“We must also be vigilant against bigoted or dangerous ideologies masquerading as policy, and that includes BDS,” Pelosi said.

The California Democrat addressed accusations of the dual loyalty of supporters of Israel, noting the vague, anti-hate House resolution condemning anti-Semitism voted on earlier this month. The text of the resolution referred to the “dual loyalty” trope mentioned by Omar but made no mention of the Muslim lawmaker by name.

“In our democratic societies, we should welcome legitimate debate on how best to honor our values and to advance our priorities without questioning loyalty or patriotism,” Pelosi said. “I simply declare to be anti-Semitic is to be anti-American. It has no place in our country.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer was also in attendance at AIPAC and assured the crowd that he “proudly and unapologetically” stands with Israel.

“Together, we will defeat BDS because, at its core, it is un-American,” the Maryland Democrat said Sunday.

Omar has come under fire several times in recent weeks for anti-Semitic remarks and, with regard to AIPAC, had suggested that lawmakers who support Israel are motivated by money. A recent report noted that Omar has been giving speeches to mostly Muslim audiences in secret fundraising events, including an event in California hosted by CAIR-CA PAC over the weekend that sparked a protest by hundreds of pro-Israel demonstrators.

The Minnesota Democrat mocked the “very fascinating” protesters who rallied outside of the fundraising event, saying, “I don’t think any of them realize that people like myself and many of the people in this room could care less about what they have to say.”

While Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declared last month, “I’m the boss!” it seems her fellow freshman lawmaker, Omar, may be secretly declaring the same for the party which seems to struggle with censuring its members for their controversial remarks.

And while no one is suggesting anyone’s freedom of speech be curtailed, Omar’s comments, behavior and her rebuke of Pelosi sparked plenty of commentary on Twitter.

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Frieda Powers
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