The US House of Representatives has voted to oust a Democrat from a powerful committee over anti-Semitic comments, in a move seen by her party chiefs as revenge for their previous removal of far-right Republicans.
Former Somali refugee Ilhan Omar, the third Democrat to be stripped of committee assignments by Republicans this year, has made several comments critical of Israel since 2012 that have been condemned on all sides.
“I am a Muslim, I’m an immigrant and, interestingly, I’m from Africa,” the 40-year-old Minnesota progressive said in a defiant floor speech ahead of her removal from the foreign affairs committee on Thursday. “Is anyone surprised that I’m being targeted? Is anyone surprised that I am somehow deemed unworthy to speak about American foreign policy?”
The 218 to 211 vote came after Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy kept a campaign promise to deny seats on the intelligence committee to Adam Schiff, the panel’s last Democrat chairman, and Eric Swalwell. Mr McCarthy has argued Democrats created a “new standard” when they ousted Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar from committees after they promoted violence against political rivals.
Ms Omar, one of two Muslim women in congress, apologised in 2019 for suggesting Republican support of Israel was fuelled by political donations. “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” she tweeted. Benjamin Franklin is portrayed on the $100 bill.
Read the article by Frankie Taggart in The Australian.