Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday for scratching a vote to condemn anti-Semitism, saying it was embarrassing that such a move had proved too controversial for Democrats.
“Apparently even non-binding symbolism is too controversial within their own caucus,” Mr. McConnell said as he opened the Senate floor.
He specifically called out “the speaker’s new far-left Democratic majority” as the hurdle to condemning anti-Semitism.
Mrs. Pelosi and her top lieutenants had been poised to hold a vote Wednesday on a resolution written in the wake of controversial comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar, who suggested lawmakers that supported Israel held dual allegiance. The draft resolution, while not mentioning Ms. Omar by name, condemned anti-Semitic sentiments and was seen as a clear rebuke of the freshman congresswoman.
But other Democrats rose to Ms. Omar’s defense, saying they didn’t want to single her out, and would prefer instead to complain about offensive or anti-Muslim comments by President Trump and Republicans.
With her troops divided, Mrs. Pelosi canceled Wednesday’s vote and said they were rewriting the resolution.
Mr. McConnell said Democrats had failed on the very least they could do.
The Senate earlier this year passed a bill that would protect states and localities that wanted to stand with Israel by allowing them to refuse to do business with persons or entities that boycott Israel.
Mr. McConnell suggested if Mrs. Pelosi wanted to show a strong stand with Israel, she should put that legislation up for a vote in the House.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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