A liberal activist group launched a fundraising campaign Wednesday off Rep. Ilhan Omar’s anti-Semitic tweet episode, asking supporters to show they stand with the embattled congresswoman by sending her cash.
Democracy for America didn’t explicitly say that it agreed with Ms. Omar’s tweets, which said lawmakers who support Israel are paid off by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a major Jewish lobby group.
But DFA said it wouldn’t stand for Republicans, including President Trump, demanding Ms. Omar resign from Congress, after his own race-charged comments on immigration.
“That’s why these attacks on Rep. Omar – a young, Black Muslim woman in a position of power – are especially disingenuous,” DFA said in an email. “It’s clear what they’re trying to do: undermine this promising progressive leader in spite of their own hateful rhetoric and behavior.”
DFA said it would split donations between itself and Ms. Omar.
Ms. Omar has apologized for her tweets over the weekend in which she said supporting Israel was “all about the Benjamins.” She said she now realizes that’s an anti-Semitic trope — though she said she still disagrees with Israel’s policies.
Mr. Trump on Tuesday said she should resign, or at the least lose her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Other Republicans have made similar demands.
But Democratic leaders, while demanding the freshman lawmaker apologize, have said that’s the end of the matter and have rebuffed calls for a deeper punishment for Ms. Omar.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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