Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said today that she does not regret her claims that lawmakers who support Israel are financially motivated to do so.
Speaking with CBS’ Gayle King, Omar said, “Oftentimes there are things that you might say that might not hold weight for you but for someone else. The way that we hear and consume information is very different than how the next person might.”
“So you don’t regret your words either?” asked King.
“I do not but I…am grateful for the opportunity to really learn how my words made people feel and have taken every single opportunity I’ve gotten to make sure people understood that I apologize for it…”
“Would you like to make it clear that you are not anti-Semitic?”
“Oh certainly not, yes.”
“Would you like to make that clear?”
“Yes and nothing I said, at least to me, was meant for that purpose.”
CBS's Gayle King asks Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) if she regrets her anti-Semitic remarks
Omar responds: “I do not…” pic.twitter.com/1aiVasWdey
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 17, 2019
Omar ignited a firestorm in February when she suggested that American political support for Israel is all about money.
The Congresswoman responded to a tweet about lawmakers and their defense of Israel, writing, “It’s all about the Benjamins baby.”
She then suggested that the advocacy group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) bought off politicians.
The congresswoman responded “AIPAC!” when one individual on Twitter asked who she thought paid American politicians to be pro-Israel.
.@IlhanMN, Suggesting that a Jewish organization is buying off American politicians is both demonstrably false and stunningly anti-Semitic. American politicians are pro-Israel because Americans are (https://t.co/QMr1oCcnHX). Apologize. pic.twitter.com/VdJh0W8sx1
— AJC (@AJCGlobal) February 11, 2019
Omar’s language was so offensive, House Democrats released a rare joint statement in which they called upon the lawmaker to apologize for her “deeply offensive” remarks.
“…Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments,” they wrote.
