It’s time for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to share the spotlight with the latest socialist candidate on track to join the United States Congress: Rashida Tlaib, who won her Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th District and publicly heckled President Trump when he was a presidential candidate. She will run unopposed in November.
Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, was the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan State Legislature, and if she wins the general election, she will be the first Muslim woman to serve in Congress.
Tlaib is running for former Rep. John Conyer’s seat. Conyers held the seat for more than 50 years but stepped down after he was investigated for sexual harassment.
Tlaib is also known for her dislike of President Donald Trump. She claims one of her goals when entering Congress is to impeach the president. She didn’t cite her grounds for impeachment, but believes “he has committed a number of crimes that will come to light when we start the impeachment hearings.”
In 2016 Tlaib was also escorted out of an event for Trump by security after interrupting his speech. After the event, she penned an entire op-ed claiming she joined “12 other brave women” to interrupt Trump and that “confronting Trump was the most patriotic and courageous act I could pursue.”
“I believe it is unbecoming of any American to not stand up to Trump’s hate-filled rhetoric and tactics,” she added.
In 2016, she shared an article on Twitter claiming Israel incites Palestinian violence, saying, “I have witnessed it myself.”
Tlaib has also defended convicted terrorist Rasmea Odeh, who murdered two American students in Jerusalem in 1969 and was deported from the U.S. after being convicted of immigration fraud. In 2015 Tlaib tweeted “Why Black Lives Matter Activists Are Showing Up for a Palestinian Woman Threatened With Deportation,” referring to Odeh.
In 2015, Tlaib also attended an event hosted by Islamic Relief, a group with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood that is also designated as a terrorist organization by The United Arab Emirates.
Tlaib has also criticized Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) for meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss cooperation in water management:
Tlaib has also shared a post from Linda Sarsour on her Facebook page of Ahed Tamimi, a 17-year-old Palestinian activist known for creating propaganda by instigating situations with Israeli Defense Soldiers, including hitting them to get their reactions on camera.
More recently, in an interview with The Washington Post, Tlaib compared the plight that African-Americans faced in American history to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict after claiming she would not choose a side. She also added that “walls are not working,” despite the 90% decrease in terrorist attacks against Israel after the security fence was built. Her website claims she is endorsed by the Greater Detroit Socialists of America, #VOTEPROCHOICE, Michael Moore, and many more.
Earlier this year, while speaking to Greater Detroit’s Socialists of America, she claimed that the word ‘socialist’ has been “tainted” and needs to be hijacked back. When asked what she would say when people call her a socialist, she responded, “What would be wrong with it?”
