Freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is expected to participate in a fundraiser for an Islamic organization deemed by the Department of Justice as an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas terror funding trial.
Omar is the keynote speaker for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) 4th Annual Valley Banquet to empower Muslims on March 23.
The Daily Caller writes:
CAIR is a notable pro-Palestinian organization with ties to Islamic terror groups. The U.S. Department of Justice listed CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator in funding millions of dollars to the terrorist organization Hamas. Additionally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) named CAIR a terrorist organization along with al-Qaeda and ISIS in 2014.
Last week, Omar was embroiled in scandal after she accused Jewish advocacy group AIPAC of paying off politicians.
The freshman lawmaker responded to a tweet about Congress and its support for Israel, writing, “It’s all about the Benjamins baby.”
She then responded “AIPAC!” when one individual on Twitter asked who she thought paid American politicians to be pro-Israel.
Omar eventually apologized for her anti-Semitic tweets after top Democrats–including Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD)–urged her to do so and condemned her comments.
On Twitter, Omar released the following statement:
“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize. At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee], the [National Rifle Association] or the fossil fuel industry. It’s gone on too long and we must be willing to address it.”
House Democrats said,“…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.”
Last month, in a Yahoo! News interview, the congresswoman said she “almost chuckles” when she hears Israel called a democracy, and compared the Jewish nation to Iran.
When asked how the U.S. could facilitate peace talks between Israel and Iran, Omar replied, “Most of the things that have been aggravating to me is that we have had a policy that makes one superior to the other. And we mask it with a conversation about justice and a two-state solution. When you have policies that clearly prioritize one over the other.”
When asked to explain in detail what she meant, Omar went on to criticize Israel.
“I mean just our relationship with the Israeli government and the Israeli state. And so when I see Israel institute laws that recognize it as a Jewish state and does not recognize the other religions that are living in it,” she said.
She continued, “And we still uphold it as a democracy in the Middle East I almost chuckle because I know that if we see that any other society we would criticize it, call it out. We do that to Iran, we do that to any other place that sort of upholds its religion. And I see that now happening with Saudi Arabia and so I am aggravated, truly, in those contradictions.”
