Democratic leaders admonish freshman lawmaker Omar over Israel tweet

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is insisting that freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar immediately apologize for tweets saying that members of Congress are being paid by a powerful interest group to support Israel.

“Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive,” Pelosi says in a statement issued by her office and signed by other Democratic leaders after a bipartisan backlash against the Minnesota Democrat. “We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments.”

The statement came after Omar tweeted over the weekend that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is paying members of Congress to support Israel. Omar is one of two of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress.

Omar did not immediately respond.

The leaders’ statement comes hours after the powerful House chairman rebuked Omar for her “shocking” remarks.

— AP