On Thursday, the House, where Republicans are now in the majority, voted in favor of removing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from her role on the House Foreign Affairs Committee in response to years of political animosity from the GOP, including allegations of anti-Semitism.
Omar has proven very forthcoming in dealing with these allegations, which center on concern about her sharing what some deemed to be versions of anti-Semitic tropes, like closely equating Jews with money. She has apologized, and (by all appearances) mistakenly promoting an idea potentially deemed anti-Semitic is drastically different from something like Donald Trump using a derogatory and incorrect version of former Cabinet official Elaine Chao’s name over and over. Yet, here Republicans are, targeting Omar and accepting Trump. In remarks before the vote Thursday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) blasted Republican hypocrisy, considering the difference between concerns about Omar and the promotion of violence perpetrated by two other Republicans previously targeted by the House when Democrats led it.
“Two members of the Republican conference were removed from committees for inciting violence, encouraging violence against their colleagues,” Schiff observed, referring to Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Paul Gosar (Ariz.). “There is nothing at all at issue like that here [with Omar]. You want to introduce a resolution to condemn someone for inciting violence against their colleagues or against people here in Congress? Introduce a resolution against Donald J. Trump. No one has incited more violence against this chamber than Donald Trump.” Schiff has obviously made his feelings on that subject known, including with his support for recommending Trump to the Justice Department for prosecution in relation to the violence of January 6. As for Greene and Gosar, Republicans rewarded the duo with spots on the House Oversight Committee in this Congress.
“Do not insult our intelligence by suggesting this is about anti-Semitism,” Schiff continued Thursday. “You want to introduce a resolution against someone guilty of anti-Semitism? Introduce a resolution against someone dining with anti-Semites, someone dining with white nationalists, members of your conference who are speaking at white nationalist rallies. Introduce a resolution against Donald J. Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, and others, but do not — do not insult our intelligence by saying this is about anti-Semitism.” Trump dined with anti-Semitic propagandist Nick Fuentes, helping provide the extremist with a platform, although he sought to distance himself from Fuentes, at least somewhat. Fuentes hosted a white supremacist conference that last year took place in Florida in which both Greene and Gosar have been involved.
Watch Schiff below:
Schiff: You want to introduce a resolution against someone guilty of anti-semitism, introduce a resolution against someone dining with anti-semites, members of your conference who are speaking at white nationalist rallies.. pic.twitter.com/PqgDYrvFKC
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 2, 2023
