Days after a top Republican House member leveled an anti-Semitic attack against Democratic investigations of the Trump administration, House Democrats are debating a resolution against anti-Semitism … but it’s directed against one of their own. Under pressure, though, the vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism in the wake of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s mention of “the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country” is being delayed and may be broadened to also condemn anti-Muslim bias.
The charge of anti-Semitism against Omar—a charge, again, with far greater consequences than the reaction when Republican Rep. Jim Jordan accuses “Tom $teyer” of having influenced Rep. Jerry Nadler’s investigations into Trump, and, for that matter, the reaction to Republican Rep. Steve King’s first several dozen public white nationalist statements—rests on the interpretation that she’s accusing American Jews of having divided loyalties. Countering that, progressive Jewish groups have called for a distinction between anti-Semitism and legitimate critique of U.S. policy on Israel, with J Street releasing a statement that “By narrowly focusing on progressive critics of Israeli policy and the politics surrounding Israel-related issues, much of our current debate bears little relation to the reality of anti-Semitism in the United States today. This plays directly into the hands of the president and his allies, who act in bad faith to weaponize the debate for political gain.”
Under pressure from such groups, including IfNotNow and the Counsel on American Islamic Relations, as well as from progressive lawmakers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrats have postponed the vote on the anti-Semitism resolution and may be rewriting it extensively. Meanwhile, the furor is threatening to overshadow the vote on the House Democrats’ signature bill to reform and clean up U.S. elections.