Tag: Ilhan Omar

The problem with using the Squad as a proxy for ‘socialism’

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It is more than 500 days until he’s up for reelection, but Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) isn’t taking any chances.

In an interview with Fox News over the weekend, he bashed Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), a potential Democratic challenger in that race and one who is generally seen as most likely to earn her party’s nomination. He compared her to a group of House Democrats that calls itself “the Squad,” a group that includes Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (Minn.).

“None of them will admit to being a socialist. She probably won’t. But she certainly has voted for socialist things,” Rubio said of Demings. “How can you vote with the Squad 94 percent of the time and argue that you’re not an honorary member of that group? How can you vote with [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi 100 percent of the time and argue that you’re not a far-left, liberal extremist?” Continue reading.

Minnesota Congressional Delegation Requests Federal Relief For State Unemployment Insurance Programs

“The rapid rise in unemployment claims in Minnesota and across the country is unprecedented and requires renewed attention from Congress as the pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on our economy” 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader McCarthy requesting relief for state unemployment insurance programs in any upcoming coronavirus relief package. In the letter, the members of the Minnesota delegation highlighted the strain that the coronavirus pandemic has placed on state unemployment insurance programs and requested that the next relief package allow the Federal Government to cover a portion of the upfront costs paid by non-profit and government employers – a relief measure that the Senate has already approved.

“The rapid rise in unemployment claims in Minnesota and across the country is unprecedented and requires renewed attention from Congress as the pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on our economy,” the lawmakers wrote. “This extreme level of unemployment has also placed significant stress on Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program—and unemployment insurance programs in states across the country.” Continue reading “Minnesota Congressional Delegation Requests Federal Relief For State Unemployment Insurance Programs”

‘We can’t stop being horrified by things like this’: Trump attacks Omar and Somali refugee community at Minnesota rally

AlterNet logoAfter President Donald Trump launched unhinged and racist attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota’s Somali refugee community during a campaign rally in Minneapolis Thursday night, Omar quickly responded that Trump’s hate-filled rhetoric and policies can and must be defeated by a grassroots progressive movement.

“At his rally just now, Trump called me an ‘America-hating socialist’ and a ‘disgrace.’ He shouted xenophobic conspiracy theories about me. He scolded my district for voting for me,” Omar tweeted. “His hate is no match for our movement.”

During the rally inside the Target Center in Minneapolis, which was surrounded by thousands of protestors, Trump once again smeared Omar as an al-Qaeda sympathizer and an anti-Semite and parroted conspiracy theories spread by a right-wing blogger.

View the complete October 11 article by Jake Johnson from Common Dreams on the AlterNet website here.

Trump crosses new line with Omar, Tlaib, Israel move

The Hill logoHe has sided with foreign autocrats over his own intelligence community; backed foreign dictators over his own military commanders; and supported foreign despots over his own allies abroad.

But President Trump broke new ground on Thursday when he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deny two Muslim congresswomen entrance to the country for a fact-finding visit, accusing them of harboring hatred toward “Israel & all Jewish people.”

The move reverberated across Washington, as pro-Israel groups condemned the president for threatening U.S.-Israel relations; foreign policy experts chimed in with warnings of frayed diplomatic ties; and stunned Democrats issued waves of statements denouncing Trump for pressuring a foreign government to deny his American political opponents rights of free passage.

View the complete August 15 article by Mike Lillis, Scott Wong and Morgan Chalfant on The Hill website here.

Minnesota DFL Statement on the Israeli Government Denying Entry to Reps. Omar and Tlaib

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Ken Martin, Chairman of the Minnesota DFL, released the following statement regarding the decision of the Israeli government to ban Representatives Omar and Tlaib from entering the country:

“I am incredibly disappointed that Israel’s democratic government would deny entry to two United States Congresswomen, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Their trip to Israel would have been a fantastic learning opportunity for everyone involved, and would have helped forge and deepen the bonds of mutual understanding between our two nations.

“I am also saddened, though not surprised, to see President Donald Trump encouraging this divisive and unproductive action from Israel’s government. It used to be the case that presidents from both parties would work to bridge our divides and bring Americans together. Time and time again, Donald Trump has worked to shatter this proud tradition by exacerbating our divisions and building walls that separate us from one another.

“Now more than ever, it is crucial that we not close ourselves off when confronted with differences of opinion and perspective. That’s why I am calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government to reverse this misguided decision, and I ask elected officials and leaders from the Minnesota DFL and Minnesota Republican Party to join me in this.”

Rep. Dean Phillips Statement on Israel Barring Entry to Reps. Omar, Tlaib

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement in response to Israel denying entry to Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13).

“I am appalled by Israel’s decision to bar entry to sitting members of the United States Congress. This action sets a damaging precedent for a free and democratic nation and our most important ally in the region. It will harm Israel’s standing among Americans and the entire free world, and sacrifices an opportunity to build bridges of understanding. I urge Israel’s leaders to reverse this dangerous decision immediately.” 

Rep. Phillips’s Congressional District is adjacent to Rep. Omar’s. Phillips, a Jewish American, is a consistent voice of support for the Jewish state of Israel.

Scoop: Trump tells advisers Israel should bar entry to Reps. Omar and Tlaib

Axios logoPresident Trump has told advisers he thinks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should use Israel’s anti-boycott law to bar Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) from entering Israel, according to 3 sources familiar with the situation.

What he’s saying: Trump’s private views have reached the top level of the Israeli government. But Trump denies, through White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, ever giving any kind of directive to the Israelis. “The Israeli government can do what they want. It’s fake news,” Grisham said on Saturday.

Driving the news: Trump has told U.S. advisers, including senior Trump administration officials, that Israel should bar Omar and Tlaib’s entry because the two congresswomen favor a boycott of Israel, according to sources familiar with Trump’s private comments. In 2017, Israel’s parliament passed a lawrequiring the interior minister to block foreign nationals from entering Israel if they have supported boycotting the Jewish state.

View the complete August 10 article by Jonathan Swan of Axios and Barak Ravid of Israel’s Channel 13 news on the Axios website here.

Pence’s deputy press secretary makes mind-boggling argument that Elaine Chao is a better immigrant than Ilhan Omar

AlterNet logoDuring a “Make America Great Again” rally in North Carolina on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump doubled down on his racist assertion that four congresswomen of color should leave the United States and reiterated his disdain for Somali-born Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota while the crowd chanted, “Send her back, send her back.” Trump’s critics have been pointing out that prominent Republicans such as First Lady Melania Trump and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao are immigrants — and Vice President Mike Pence’s deputy press secretary, Darin Miller, is responding with a mind-boggling claim that Chao is a good immigrant while Omar is not.

Mother Jones’ Matt Cohen is reporting that he received an e-mail from Miller stating that while Chao (who is originally from Mainland China and is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell) “worked hard and assimilated” after coming to the United States, Omar “seems content to criticize America at every turn.”

Miller, according to Cohen, wrote to the Mother Jones reporter to explain that he believed he misconstrued comments that Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, made during a Fox News appearance on Monday. Short, defending Trump, insisted that the president can’t have “racist motives” because he appointed a Chinese immigrant to an important position in his administration.

View the complete July 18 article by Alex Henderson on the AlterNet website here.

President Trump accuses Rep. Omar of supporting al-Qaeda

Washington Post logo“I look at Omar. I don’t know. I never met her. I hear the way she talks about al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda has killed many Americans. She said, ‘You can hold your chest out, you can — when I think of America, huh, when I think of al-Qaeda, I can hold my chest out.’ When she talked about the World Trade Center being knocked down, ‘Some people.’ You remember the famous ‘some people’?”

— President Trump, in remarks at the White House, July 15, 2019

“When I hear people speaking about how wonderful al-Qaeda is, when I hear people talking about ‘some people,’ ‘some people’ with the World Trade Center. Some people? No, not ‘some people.’ Much more than ‘some people’.”

— Trump

“A politician that hears somebody, where we’re at war with al-Qaeda, and sees somebody talking about how great al-Qaeda is. Pick out her statement. That was Omar. ‘How great al-Qaeda is.’ And we’re losing great soldiers to al-Qaeda.”

— Trump

The president accused Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) of supporting the terrorist group behind the 9/11 attacks.

Omar, a Somali American and practicing Muslim, was elected to Congress in 2018. She’s a member of “the Squad,” an informal group of liberal Democrats that also includes Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.).

Trump lashed out at the foursome in a Twitter statement Sunday, telling them to “go back” to their countries. Asked about those racist comments the next day, Trump alleged that Omar has voiced support for al-Qaeda. “When I think of al-Qaeda, I can hold my chest out,” Trump quoted Omar as saying.

View the complete July 17 article by Salvador Rizzo on The Washington Post website here.

DFL Statement on Trump’s Racist Tweets

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s latest round of xenophobic tweets:

“Representative Ilhan Omar became an American citizen almost 20 years ago because she wanted to be part of our great country and to live the American Dream. Donald Trump telling her to go back to her home country is flat out racist and goes against the founding principles of our nation.

“Before we are Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans. It is deeply disturbing that, instead of bringing Americans together to solve our common problems, Donald Trump has spent his presidency trying to divide our country for political gain.