A decision by House Democratic leaders to hold a vote on an anti-Semitism resolution that indirectly rebukes one of their own members, Ilhan Omar, has drawn the ire of her allies, threatening to open a generational rift in the party.
The Minnesota freshman’s name doesn’t appear in the resolution, which could go to the House floor as soon as Thursday, but it denounces anti-Semitism by describing tropes similar to some of those she has invoked. Omar has apologized for some of her controversial remarks and defended others.“I am told everyday that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone,” she wrote in a March 3 tweet.
The vote risks new tension between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and high-profile freshmen who thus far have been supportive of her leadership strategy and agenda. Debate over the resolution has exposed a divide between older Democrats who sharply criticized Omar and some younger progressive freshmen in a historically diverse class of lawmakers. The differences challenge the unity Pelosi has cited as the party’s greatest asset in setting a bold agenda for their House majority.
“I believe that Ilhan, in her statement a few weeks ago, has demonstrated a willingness to listen+work w/impacted communities,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet. “If we called resolutions on sexist statements, a good chunk of Congress would be gone. To jump to the nuclear option every time leaves no room for corrective action.”
The resolution would be the second anti-Semitism measure to pass under the Democratic majority, although the first one was presented by Republicans in a surprise procedural vote on a resolution regarding Yemen -- the same week Omar tweeted rap lyrics to suggest pro-Israel politicians were motivated by money. Omar apologized for those tweets, but defended her original question about the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
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