Rep. Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House, came under fire from progressives Sunday night after he used his address at AIPAC’s policy conference to attack left-wing members of his caucus and throw his full support behind a resolution condemning the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement.
“I stand with Israel, proudly and unapologetically,” said the Democrat from Maryland, whose remarks were immediately interpreted as a thinly veiled attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). “So, when someone accuses American supporters of Israel of dual loyalty, I say: Accuse me. I am part of a large, bipartisan coalition in Congress supporting Israel. I tell Israel’s detractors: Accuse us.”
“There are 62 freshman Democrats. Not three,” Hoyer added, in an apparent swipe at Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Omar.
“Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is at AIPAC throwing his own colleague, Ilhan Omar, under the bus. Shameful,” tweeted Shaun King, a columnist with The Intercept. “And in one fell swoop, to fawning applause, he basically confirms @IlhanMN was right all along.”
Wow.
DEMOCRATIC House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) is at @AIPAC throwing his own colleague, Ilhan Omar, under the bus.
Shameful.
And in one fell swoop, to fawning applause, he basically confirms @IlhanMN was right all along. https://t.co/yVKEibMGJq
— Shaun King (@shaunking) March 24, 2019
It’s seriously incredible that Steny Hoyer spent today of all days delivering an unhinged attack on his fellow Democrats in Congress. He should step down https://t.co/eTo0JqAwHw
— Kenton (@KentonTilford) March 24, 2019
Hoyer went on to express support for a bipartisan resolution condemning the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, which was introduced by House Democrats last…