Home | WebMail | Register or Login

      Calgary | Regions | Local Traffic Report | Advertise on Action News | Contact

Login

Login

Please fill in your credentials to login.

Don't have an account? Register Sign up now.

Posted: 2019-03-06T12:25:46Z | Updated: 2019-03-06T15:40:34Z

The House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman said he wont remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the panel over comments that have been criticized as anti-Semitic, despite Republican calls for her ouster.

I dont know that that would do anything except exacerbate the situation even more, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) told CNN , saying that he wasnt even considering booting the freshman lawmaker from the committee. He said the decision would be up to House leadership, not him.

Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized Omar one of two Muslim women elected to Congress in November 2018 for remarks they call anti-Semitic. She unequivocally apologized Feb. 11 for tweets critical of pro-Israel lobbying that some said used anti-Semitic tropes.

But on Sunday, Omar defended her comments in a bookstore last week targeting pro-Israel lawmakers and the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.

Watch the video of the bookstore event below:

But as the Washington Posts Paul Waldman wrote of the dishonest smearing of Omar, she didnt say or even imply anything at all about Jews. She said that she was being asked to support Israel in order to have the privilege of serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which was true.

Omar has been a strong supporter of Palestinian rights and has pushed back against the traditional backing of Israel by Democrats and Republicans. In criticizing Israel, however, she has repeatedly chosen words that some see as anti-Semitism.

Omar on Sunday tweeted: I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee.

Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that! https://t.co/gglAS4FVJW

Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 3, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Ilhan Omar","author_url":"https://twitter.com/IlhanMN","cache_age":86400,"description":"Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that! https://t.co/gglAS4FVJW Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 3, 2019\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Ilhan Omar on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1102296763292139520","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5c7fa182e4b0e62f69e818af","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/ilhan-omar-foreign-affairs-committee_n_5c7fa182e4b0e62f69e818af","entryTagsList":"ilhan-omar,antisemitism,united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs,eliot-engel","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5c7fa182e4b0e62f69e818af","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"ilhan omar","slug":"ilhan-omar","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/ilhan-omar","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/ilhan-omar","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/ilhan-omar"},"relegenceId":6445625,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Ilhan Omar","slug":"ilhan-omar","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/ilhan-omar"},{"name":"antisemitism","slug":"antisemitism","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/antisemitism","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/antisemitism","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/antisemitism"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Antisemitism","slug":"antisemitism","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/antisemitism"},{"name":"United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs","slug":"united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs"},"relegenceId":3582879,"url":"https://action.news/topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs"},{"name":"eliot engel","slug":"eliot-engel","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/eliot-engel","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/eliot-engel","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/eliot-engel"},"relegenceId":3482284,"url":"https://action.news/topic/eliot-engel"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that! https://t.co/gglAS4FVJW

Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 3, 2019

The next day, 11 Jewish groups sent a letter to Engel and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking for Omars removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) baselessly questioned Omars loyalty, asking whether she should be receiving intelligence briefings.

These are her beliefs, Scalise told Fox News . (As HuffPost previously reported , Scalise attended a white supremacist conference in 2002.)

If they really are serious about addressing the problem, Nancy Pelosi has to remove [Rep. Omar] from the Foreign Affairs Committee. -@SteveScalise pic.twitter.com/5uW7ZvG9bO

GOP (@GOP) March 5, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"GOP","author_url":"https://twitter.com/GOP","cache_age":86400,"description":"If they really are serious about addressing the problem, Nancy Pelosi has to remove [Rep. Omar] from the Foreign Affairs Committee. -@SteveScalise pic.twitter.com/5uW7ZvG9bO GOP (@GOP) March 5, 2019\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1103075725035347971/img/W0uNXHC_HbNFscke.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"GOP on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/GOP/status/1103075828240400385","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5c7fa182e4b0e62f69e818af","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/ilhan-omar-foreign-affairs-committee_n_5c7fa182e4b0e62f69e818af","entryTagsList":"ilhan-omar,antisemitism,united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs,eliot-engel","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5c7fa182e4b0e62f69e818af","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"ilhan omar","slug":"ilhan-omar","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/ilhan-omar","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/ilhan-omar","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/ilhan-omar"},"relegenceId":6445625,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Ilhan Omar","slug":"ilhan-omar","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/ilhan-omar"},{"name":"antisemitism","slug":"antisemitism","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/antisemitism","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/antisemitism","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/antisemitism"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Antisemitism","slug":"antisemitism","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/antisemitism"},{"name":"United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs","slug":"united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs"},"relegenceId":3582879,"url":"https://action.news/topic/united-states-house-committee-on-foreign-affairs"},{"name":"eliot engel","slug":"eliot-engel","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/eliot-engel","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/eliot-engel","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/eliot-engel"},"relegenceId":3482284,"url":"https://action.news/topic/eliot-engel"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

If they really are serious about addressing the problem, Nancy Pelosi has to remove [Rep. Omar] from the Foreign Affairs Committee. -@SteveScalise pic.twitter.com/5uW7ZvG9bO

GOP (@GOP) March 5, 2019

House Democrats have been preparing a resolution condemning anti-Semitism. The wording doesnt mention Omar directly, but it follows the uproar surrounding her remarks. A vote on the measure will likely be delayed until Thursday, The Hill reported .

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

The holdup is due to Democrats broadening the language to encompass other types of religious bigotry after criticism from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and others that little is done to condemn the anti-Muslim abuse Omar faces or hateful speech directed at other groups of people.

Omar was the target of an anti-Muslim poster outside the West Virginia House of Delegates last week falsely connecting the lawmaker to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost