Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is attempting to tamp down the furor over former President Donald Trump’s meeting with antisemitic ranter Nick Fuentes, saying it is another media “obsession” although she raised Mr. Fuentes’ profile in February by attending his America First Political Action Conference.
“Of course I denounce Nick Fuentes and his racists [sic] anti-semitic ideology. I can’t comprehend why the media is obsessed with him,” Mrs. Greene tweeted Tuesday.
The Republican congresswoman was responding to a CNN reporter’s tweet about House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. The tweet said there wasn’t evidence that Mrs. Greene denounced Mr. Fuentes, as Mr. McCarthy claimed.
“Do you actually report real news or just use CNN for your political activism? Have you questioned Democrats if they denounce Israel hating Ilhan Omar?” Mrs. Greene tweeted, referring to the Minnesota Democrat whose remarks about Israel have been called antisemitic.
Mrs. Greene earlier this year was the first GOP lawmaker in as many years to attend Mr. Fuentes’ conference. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona attended the previous year.
At the time, Mrs. Greene downplayed her knowledge about the organizers and issued a lengthy statement about it online.
“Jesus was a friend to sinners; we are called to follow his example. That’s why I will continue to share my message of unity, family and faith in our great nation to every corner and every group within America,” she wrote.
Mr. Fuentes, who spoke favorably about Russian President Vladimir Putin during the conference, is known for online rants against Jews.
Mr. Trump recently dined with Mr. Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The former president said he didn’t know who Mr. Fuentes was and that rapper Kanye West, who has made antisemitic comments, brought him to Florida.
Democrats stripped Mrs. Greene of her committee assignments over her pattern of incendiary comments, though Mr. McCarthy plans to restore her assignments if he becomes speaker in the new Congress.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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