Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a member of the leftist “Squad,” is again facing the prospect of being censured, this time for suggesting that some Jewish students support genocide.
During a visit last week to Columbia University, Omar spoke with a Fox 5 New York reporter about anti-Semitism as she walked on campus with her daughter, Isra Hirsi, a Barnard student who was recently arrested while participating in an anti-Israel protest on campus.
Omar noted that she had just met some Jewish students in an encampment.
“I think it is really unfortunate,” Omar continued, “that people don’t care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe, and that we should not have to tolerate anti-Semitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they’re pro-genocide or anti-genocide.”
One of her Republican colleagues, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), reportedly took umbrage at the comment about Jewish students and said that he was putting together a censure resolution in response.
“Talking about pro-genocide Jewish students is wrong,” Bacon told Axios,” adding that “folks can protest Israel, but don’t blame Jewish-American students for Israel. That is by definition anti-Semitism.”
A spokesperson for Omar said the congresswoman “clearly condemned antisemitism and bigotry for all Jewish students,” adding, “Attempts to misconstrue her words by drafting this baseless resolution are meant to distract” from the Gaza conflict and anti-war protests.
It would not be the first time Omar faced the ire of her colleagues. In February, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said she would force a censure vote against Omar for remarks concerning her native Somalia, but did not follow through.
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And Omar was kicked off the Foreign Affairs Committee last year over comments she made about Israel.
Throughout history, 27 members have been successfully censured, which is a formal rebuke and a less severe form of punishment than expulsion, though there has been an uptick of late.
Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) were among the House members who were censured last year.
In a post to X last week, Omar sought to defend the protesters at Columbia, who have demanded the university divest from Israel, and chided public officials and media “making this about anything else are inflaming the situation and need to bring calmness and sanity back.”
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) was among those who fired back, saying, “Ilhan, there’s video. Lots of it. These antisemites don’t need police & public leaders to make them look bad. They’re doing that all by themselves. Only demands should be: Hamas, surrender; Release the hostages.”
