Minnesota’s Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Faces New Criticism
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Rep. Ilhan Omar has come under fresh criticism for remarks critics call anti-Semitic.
The Minnesota Democrat was appearing at a forum in Washington with Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan when she said she fears everything they say about Israel is construed as anti-Semitic because they're Muslim.
But some Jewish leaders say Omar then revived an old trope about divided loyalties among Jewish-Americans when she criticized the idea that it's "OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country."
Steve Hunegs of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas says he's appalled.
Spokesman Jeremy Slevin says Omar was just speaking out Wednesday about "the undue influence of lobbying groups for foreign interests." Slevin said Omar repeated her remorse for the pain that her previous comments caused.