Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, slammed Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) earlier this week, saying that she does not belong in the Democratic Party, according to the Daily Wire.
An employee at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) asked Peterson if he had any justification for why he defended Omar.
“I don’t defend her. She doesn’t belong in our party,” Peterson, a 16-term lawmaker, responded, based on a video of the remarks that was obtained by the New York Post.
When Peterson was asked to clarify his remarks, he doubled down, saying that “she doesn’t belong in our party.”
“It’s unclear why Omar and Peterson have fallen out but his remarks may be an attempt to distance himself from the progressive left flank of his party as he braces for a brutal challenge from GOP candidate, former Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Michelle Fischbach,” The Post added. “Peterson’s criticism of Omar follows that from establishment Democrats who in conversations with The Post have privately dismissed the House’s famous ‘Squad’ of female lawmakers as ‘activists’ rather than legislators who can work across the aisle.”
Omar is familiar with scandals, as they have plagued her first term in Congress, ranging from campaign-finances issues to some accusing her of having married her brother.
The Daily Wire reported that Omar has had a past of showing sympathy towards radical Islamists, including:
- Advocating for leniency and “compassion” in the sentencing of men who were convicted of trying to join ISIS
- Calling for a senior Muslim Brotherhood member to be released from jail in Egypt
- Voting against a bill that allowed insurance companies to deny life-insurance payouts to terrorist’s families
- Saying that she was “outraged” that Trump killed Iranian terrorist general Qassem Soleimani—who was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers.
Omar also has racked up an extensive history of making anti-Semitic remarks and promoting anti-Semitic tropes and conspiracy theories. An organization that tracks anti-Semitism named Omar 2019’s anti-Semite of the year. The organization also provided a few examples of Omar’s history in spewing anti-Semitic remarks:
- Accusing American Jewry of possessing dual loyalty.
- Alleging that Jews buy their influence with money, infamously stating “It’s all about the Benjamins.”
- Accusing Israel of having hypnotized the world.
- Supporting the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
- Submitting a resolution in the House of Representatives comparing boycotting Israel to boycotting the Nazis.
- Having her anti-Semitic statements endorsed by infamous neo-Nazi David Duke.
The Daily Wire reported that the sixth point is a reference to David Duke, former KKK Grand Wizard, praising Omar last year, calling her “the most important Member of the US Congress” for her “Defiance to Z.O.G. [Zionist Occupied Government].”
Brooke Goldstein, the executive director for the pro-Israel Lawfare Project, highlighted Omar’s record of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic comments last year during an interview with Tucker Carlson.
“Yes, she has commented on Israel, but she has built a career on attacking American Jews,” Goldstein told Carlson. “She has said that American Jews control Congress. She has insinuated, for example, that Jews have dual loyalty.”
Former vice president and presidential candidate Joe Biden has also received support from Richard Spencer—someone widely considered to be a white nationalist who supported Trump in the 2016 election.
Spencer tweeted in late August: “It’s important to remember that Trump’s messaging in 2016 was patently collectivist. This—along with being a chaotic, wrecking-ball force—was what made him unique and worth supporting.”
He added a second tweet: “MAGA and the GOP are ‘collectivist’ now, in the sense that the party messages to ‘normal white people,’ with heavy Southern evangelical inflection. I simply recognize how ineffective, useless, and traitorous the GOP is.”
In a separate discussion, Spencer responded to a Twitter user by saying that “I plan to vote for Biden and a straight democratic ticket. It’s not based on ‘accelerationism’ or anything like that; the liberals are clearly more competent people.”