Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, slammed Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a brief exchange with a political operative this week, saying that she does not belong in the Democratic Party.
An employee at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) asked Peterson, “Do you have any comment as to why you defended Ilhan Omar?”
“I don’t defend her. She doesn’t belong in our party,” Peterson, a 16-term lawmaker, responded, according to video of the remarks that was obtained by the New York Post.
When asked to clarify his remarks, Peterson reportedly doubled down, saying: “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 has been bogged down by scandals throughout her first term in Congress, ranging from marital and potential campaign finance issues to accusations that she married her brother.
Omar has a history of being sympathetic 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 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 listed a few examples from Omar’s history of 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 antisemitic statements endorsed by infamous neo-Nazi David Duke.
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.”