Things just got trickier for Nancy Pelosi….
House Democrats are gonna have to think twice about letting Republicans and others use Omar to hurt their party…..
Three leading candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination defended Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) Wednesday as she faces heat — including from members of her own party — over comments she made about the influence of the pro-Israel lobby on American foreign policy.
The statements, by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), reflect a sharp shift in the debate over her comments in the past day.
On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) faced some unhappy members of her caucus during a House Democratic meeting. Those members took issue with her decision to move forward on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism ― widely seen as a rebuke of Omar.
By the end of the day, Democratic leaders signaled the resolution may not get a vote at all, or it may be changed to condemn “all hate.”
The party’s progressive base, members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and outside groups had also been vocally defending Omar, arguing that she was being targeted because of her status as a black Muslim woman.
Sanders spoke up first Wednesday, with a sharp statement condemning the direction of House Democrats.
Anti-Semitism is a hateful and dangerous ideology which must be vigorously opposed in the United States and around the world. We must not, however, equate anti-Semitism with legitimate criticism of the right-wing, Netanyahu government in Israel. Rather, we must develop an even-handed Middle East policy which brings Israelis and Palestinians together for a lasting peace.
What I fear is going on in the House now is an effort to target Congresswoman Omar as a way of stifling that debate. That’s wrong.
Harris came out with a statement shortly afterward, saying she was worried that Omar was being put “at risk” by having the spotlight squarely on her…..