AOC and Omar are once again controversial bedfellows. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) made a strong defense of her far-left congressional counterpart, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), during an interview on Sunday with CNN’s Dana Bash. She focused on Omar’s controversial comments that equated the United States and Israel to terrorist organizations. AOC declared that Omar’s words were “absolutely mischaracterized.”
“We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity,” Omar wrote on Twitter last week. The post included a video of her questioning Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban,” the congresswoman said.
CNN’s Bash talked about how top Democrats called out Omar for her “offensive and misguided” remarks equating the U.S. and Israel to terrorist groups.
Bash went on to describe Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s response to Democrats challenging Omar, “Pretty sick & tired of the constant vilification, intentional mischaracterization, and public targeting of @IlhanMN coming from our caucus,” AOC tweeted. “They have no concept for the danger they put her in by skipping private conversations & leaping to fueling targeted news cycles around her.”
Bash asked, “First question is, what exactly did your fellow Democrats mischaracterize?” Then Bash followed up, “And are you saying that they are to blame for some threats against her?”
“Well, I think, I believe that her comments were absolutely mischaracterized,” AOC noted. “She was very clearly speaking about the ICC investigations, which name these four actors in two suits. And they name them in context of events that happened in Afghanistan with the United States and the Taliban, and in Palestine with Hamas and the government of Israel.”
Then AOC even said without evidence, “And we know that these very intense news cycles, which, by the way, started, this whole hubbub started with right-wing news outlets taking what she said out of context.” AOC continued, “And when we feed into that, it adds legitimacy to a lot of this kind of right-wing vitriol. It absolutely kind of increases that target. And as someone who has experienced that, it’s very difficult to communicate the scale and how dangerous that is.”
Bash had earlier talked with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the broadcast and she said that Democrats “did not rebuke” Omar for her remarks equating the U.S. and Israel to terrorist organizations. “Congresswoman Omar is a valued member of our caucus,” Pelosi said.
“She asked her questions of the secretary of state. Nobody criticized those, about how people will be held accountable if we’re not going to the International Court of Justice. That was a very legitimate question. That was not of concern,” Pelosi said. “Members did become concerned when the tweet that was put out equated the United States with the Taliban and Hamas.”
The House Speaker was asked if she wanted the American public to let Omar’s comments go, Pelosi said, “They can say whatever they want.”
“But what I’m saying is, end of subject. She clarified. We thanked her. End of subject,” Pelosi said. “Whatever people go out and say is up to them. But what we — what happened is a reflection of the respect we have for our member when she made her questions at the hearing, but the disagreement that we have to equate the United States of America with Hamas and the Taliban.”
Well, there you have it. The congressional far-left are siding with statements that join America and Israel with some of the most horrific terrorist groups on the globe. You might wonder how this position is going to play out in the mid-term elections in 2022.
