Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted Home Republicans on Thursday for a passing decision to take away Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a fellow progressive lawmaker, from the International Affairs Committee.
“That is about concentrating on ladies of colour in the US of America,” Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., stated.
Omar, a Muslim American who has been a critic of Israel and the Jewish foyer, was eliminated by Republicans on Thursday for what lawmakers from each events stated have been antisemitic remarks.
“Consistency? There may be nothing in step with the Republican Social gathering’s continued assaults, besides for the racism and incitement of violence towards ladies of colour on this physique,” Ocasio-Cortez stated.
Earlier than Ocasio-Cortez addressed the Home ground, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York Republican, stated that the decision to take away Omar was about “consistency.”
“I’m being constant right here, and I hope my colleagues will do the identical to present that that is about consistency and accountability,” Malliotakis stated. “We should always not have a person with these views on the committee that’s tasked with representing our nation and our Congress to overseas nations.”
Ocasio-Cortez fired again that Republicans have repeatedly elevated members of their caucus to prized committee assignments, together with a GOP lawmaker who she stated had threatened her life.
In 2021, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., shared an animation on Twitter that depicted him killing the congresswoman, leading to his being stripped of his committee assignments. Final month, Gosar was elevated to the Oversight and Accountability and Pure Sources committees, a transfer that Ocasio-Cortez stated “rewarded him.”
Ocasio-Cortez additionally challenged Republicans on inconsistencies associated to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who got here underneath scrutiny throughout her first time period in Congress for antisemitic remarks.
In remarks that predated her election, Greene had claimed that the 2018 California wildfires have been began by “Jewish area lasers,” and he or she has additionally urged that faculty shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, have been staged. Whereas she was eliminated from committees throughout her freshman time period, Greene has since gained “a number of the highest committee assignments on this physique,” Ocasio-Cortez famous, assuming roles on the Oversight and Homeland Safety committees.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., additionally criticized what he referred to as the “sheer hypocrisy” of the decision to take away Omar, whereas insisting that her perspective as a refugee and the one African-born Muslim member of the International Affairs panel have been “invaluable.”
The truth that Omar had apologized for the remarks, however was nonetheless dealing with removing, revealed a “double commonplace,” Meeks stated, in comparison towards antisemitic remarks made by Republican members.
“May it’s the way in which that she appears, might it’s her non secular practices?” Meeks requested. “As a result of it’s clear if she have been on the opposite aspect of the aisle, we might not be having this debate at this time.”
Two Jewish Home Democrats additionally rallied in Omar’s protection.
“I don’t want any of you to defend me towards antisemitism,” stated Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Sick.
Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., who can be Jewish and a member of the International Affairs panel, stated that “atonement ought to be rewarded, not punished.”
“That is the very weaponization of antisemitism that I as a Jewish individual discover repulsive, I discover harmful, and above else, shameful — sure, shameful.” Phillips stated.
