Republican on Omar appointment: ‘Crazy to watch what Dems are empowering/elevating’

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) traded barbs over Twitter on Wednesday after Zeldin called Omar’s appointment to the House Foreign Affairs Committee “crazy.”

{mosads}“Just learned Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar was also put on this committee [with] oversight of US foreign policy,” Zeldin, the new ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, tweeted Wednesday.

“Crazy to watch what House Dems are empowering/elevating,” he tweeted.

Was just selected as Ranking Member of the @HouseForeign Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations! Just learned Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar was also put on this committee w oversight of US foreign policy. Crazy to watch what House Dems are empowering/elevating.

— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) January 29, 2019

Omar, sharing a screenshot of Zeldin’s tweet from another Twitter user who called the comment an “Islamophobic dog whistle,” responded late Wednesday.

“Don’t mind him, he is just waking up to the reality of having Muslim women as colleagues who know how to stand up to bullies!” the freshman lawmaker tweeted. “It’s gonna be fun watching him lose his marbles.”

Don’t mind him, he is just waking up to the reality of having Muslim women as colleagues who know how to stand up to bullies!

It’s gonna be fun watching him lose his marbles https://t.co/FPEtcxW4GN

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 31, 2019

Zeldin fired back at Omar, accusing her of “anti-Semitic & anti-Israel hate.”

“Those poor innocent ISIS fighters & Palestinian terrorists right? Give me a break!” Zeldin tweeted. “That’s a problem no matter your religion or gender Ilhan. Your anti-Semitic & anti-Israel hate is strong & wrong & those terrorists have US blood on their hands as well.”

Those poor innocent ISIS fighters & Palestinian terrorists right? Give me a break! That’s a problem no matter your religion or gender Ilhan. Your anti-Semitic & anti-Israel hate is strong & wrong & those terrorists have US blood on their hands as well. https://t.co/yVmS6Tdd8T

— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) January 31, 2019

Omar, a progressive Minnesota lawmaker, is one of the first two Muslim women in Congress. She has recently come under fire for past criticism of Israel, including a 2012 tweet in which she wrote: “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.”

{mosads}She recently apologized for the tweet, saying she should have put more energy into “disavowing the anti-semitic trope I unknowingly used.”

Zeldin, who is Jewish, has been outspoken about Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who is the other first Muslim woman in Congress and is also the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress.

He unveiled a resolution earlier this month condemning “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hatred,” specifically citing Tlaib and Omar’s support for the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.

The two lawmakers have faced sharp criticism from Republicans. Tlaib, in brief comments to The Hill last week, said she believes she is being targeted because she’s a Muslim.

When asked what she thinks is motivating the scrutiny from Republicans, Tlaib replied: “Because I’m Muslim, Palestinian. I mean, I’m a human being here as a mom, as an advocate and all these things. And I’m an equal to them now.”

Told of those comments, Zeldin told The Hill last week that Tlaib was being attacked “for shamefully targeting Israelis, Jews and others with a ton of hatred obviously consuming her heart.”