N.J. congressman who once slammed fellow Democrat Omar just supported her
Omar #Omar
NJ.com 2 hrs ago Jonathan D. Salant, nj.com
Rep. Josh Gottheimer was outraged four years ago when newly elected Rep. Ilhan Omar invoked antisemitic tropes in suggesting that Congress was paid to support Israel and American Jews had pledged allegiance to a foreign country. He demanded that Omar be punished for her comments.
But when House Republicans sought to oust Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., voted no.
At the same time, Omar, D-Minn., signed onto a Gottheimer-sponsored resolution “recognizing Israel as America’s legitimate and democratic ally and condemning antisemitism.”
“It is no secret that, over the years, I have been unabashedly critical about Congresswoman Omar’s past comments,” Gottheimer said. “We have made progress with this congressional resolution — without rancor or name calling. It reflects what is possible.”
The resolution specifically “rejects hate, discrimination, and antisemitism in all forms, including antisemitism masquerading as anti-Israel sentiment” and “explicitly condemns perpetuation of antisemitic tropes, including claims of dual loyalty, control, and other conspiracy theories antithetical to American values.”
It was co-sponsored by 30 House Democrats, including not just Omar but Reps. Rob Menendez, D-8th Dist., Donald Payne Jr., D-10th Dist., and Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist.
Omar’s earlier comments led the House to pass a resolution in March 2019 condemning antisemitism, addressing the allegations of dual loyalty, and criticizing attacks on Muslims, with 23 House Republicans voting no.
Thursday’s House GOP resolution — which passed on a party-line vote, 218-211 with Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, voting present, which is abstaining — cited those same remarks in removing her from the committee.
During floor debate, Omar, a refugee from Somalia, fought back against the Republicans.
“This debate today is about who gets to be an American,” she said. “There is this idea that you’re suspect if you’re an immigrant or if you are from certain parts of the world or a certain skin tone or a Muslim. Is anyone surprised that I am being targeted?”
While Republicans voted to remove Omar, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., named Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. to the Oversight, Homeland Security and Select Coronavirus committees.
Greene had been stripped of her committee assignments two years ago after endorsing the execution of McCarthy’s predecessor as speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. She also blamed California wildfires on space lasers funded by a prominent Jewish family and formerly embraced the QAnon conspiracy theory, which the Anti-Defamation League said had “marked undertones of anti-Semitism and xenophobia.”
Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., was one of 11 House Republicans who voted to remove Greene.
“Removing a member of Congress for inciting violence is appropriate,” Gottheimer said. “However, removing a member for having different viewpoints — even ones I strongly oppose — violates the entire basis of our democracy.”
Both McCarthy and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, D-Minn., have accused three individuals who were Jewish or had Jewish backgrounds of trying to buy congressional elections. An American Jewish Congress official said such messages were based on “antisemitic tropes.”
Gottheimer introduced legislation last month to address Holocaust education following a rise in antisemitic incidents in New Jersey and nationwide. On Sunday, a firebomb was thrown at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, though no one was injured and damage was minimal. A person was arrested in the incident.
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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @JDSalant.
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