A Republican-led resolution to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was filed on Tuesday after she suggested some Jewish students are “pro-genocide.”
“To generalize, to say that the Jewish students are responsible for this and treat them that way, that is antisemitism, right? It’s one thing to protest Israel, but to stretch it over and accost Jewish students is wrong,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) told the Hill.
Bacon also indicated that he plans to collaborate with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and GOP leadership to determine the appropriate timing for the resolution rather than forcing an immediate House vote.
Omar, one of three Arab lawmakers in Congress, made the controversial comments during her visit to Columbia University last month in support of her daughter Isra Hirsi, who had been arrested during anti-Israel protests on campus.
“I think it is really unfortunate that people don’t care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe, and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they are pro-genocide or anti-genocide,” Omar told a Fox 5 New York reporter at the time.
Lawmakers from both parties were quick to condemn Omar’s comments. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) accused her of “encouraging violence against Jewish students” and “embracing pro-terrorist extremists,” while House Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) distanced himself from her choice of words, stating, “It’s not the language I would use,” according to the report.
