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Newly-elected Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar found herself in the spotlight, not for passing legislation, but for defending herself against accusations of homophobia, bigotry, and anti-Semitism from all sides.<\/p>\n
Omar\u2019s victory in November was a milestone for identity politics. But even as the first Somali-American and one of two Muslim women elected to Congress last year, accusations of intolerance have dogged her first days in office.<\/p>\n
In a tweet posted Tuesday, Omar shared a video of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) denouncing then-candidate Trump in 2015. Now, with Graham a reliable supporter of Trump in the Senate, Omar suggested \u201cThey got to him, he is compromised!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Omar did not say exactly how Graham was \u201ccompromised,\u201d<\/em> or by who, but her tweet came days after a slew of accusations by others that Graham is secretly gay, or involved in sexual kink or misconduct, and that information is being used by Trump as leverage against him.<\/p>\n The same day Omar posted her tweet, MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle suggested Graham had about-turned on his opposition to Trump, because \u201cDonald Trump knows something pretty extreme about Lindsey Graham.\u201d<\/em> On Saturday, \u2018Avengers\u2019 actor Chris Evans slammed Graham for his \u201cshameful 180,\u201d<\/em> and called the South Carolina Republican \u201cSmithers,\u201d<\/em> a reference to Mr. Burns\u2019 lickspittle assistant and closeted homosexual in \u2018The Simpsons\u2019.<\/p>\n Hey Smithers, remember when you said this: \u2014 Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) January 13, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Democratic operative Jon Cooper suggested the following day that Graham is \u201ckowtowing to Trump (and indirectly Putin),\u201d<\/em> because of \u201csome pretty serious sexual kink.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n A Republican just told me that he doubts @LindseyGrahamSC<\/a> is kowtowing to Trump (and indirectly Putin) because he\u2019s being blackmailed over his sexual orientation (an open secret) or even financial corruption. Rather, he thinks it probably involves some pretty serious sexual kink.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) January 13, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Appearing on CNN Thursday, Omar defended her tweet, but did not directly address Graham\u2019s sexuality.<\/p>\n On CNN, Ilhan Omar tries to defend tweet in which she called Lindsey Graham “compromised,” saying, “I’m pretty sure there’s something happening w\/him…he is somehow compromised”<\/p>\n After host points out she has no evidence for her claim, Omar walks it back, says it’s “her opinion” pic.twitter.com\/HefwlOE3mW<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n “So, I am pretty sure that there is something happening with him,\u201d<\/em> she told CNN\u2019s Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto. \u201cHe is somehow compromised to no longer stand up for the truth,\u201d<\/em> Omar continued, adding that \u201cthe evidence really is present to us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Pressed on what exactly this evidence is, Omar replied that \u201cIt\u2019s being presented to us in the way that he is behaving,\u201d<\/em> and that her tweet \u201cwas just an opinion based on what I believe to be visible to me \u2013 and<\/em> I\u2019m pretty sure there are lots of Americans who agree on this.\u201d<\/p>\n Omar was swiftly called out, first by CNN\u2019s S.E. Cupp, who called her comments \u201cignorant, homophobic and unacceptable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHere we have Ilhan Omar, a sitting Congresswoman, floating around a conspiracy theory with absolutely zero evidence that Lindsey Graham is secretly gay and the GOP is holding him hostage,\u201d<\/em> wrote Republican strategist Caleb Hull. \u201cUnbelievable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Here we have Ilhan Omar, a sitting Congresswoman, floating around a conspiracy theory with absolutely zero evidence that Lindsey Graham is secretly gay and the GOP is holding him hostage.<\/p>\n Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com\/G25s3UF63x<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) January 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Embroiled in one scandal already, Omar was also pressed by Sciutto about a 2012 tweet sent during an eight-day conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Gaza.<\/p>\n \u201cIsrael has hypnotized the world,\u201d<\/em> she wrote at the time. \u201cMay Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n In her CNN appearance, Omar stood by her tweet. \u201cI don\u2019t know how my comments would be offensive to Jewish Americans,\u201d<\/em> she said. \u201cMy comments precisely are addressing what was happening during the Gaza war, and I am clearly speaking about the way the Israeli regime was conducting itself in that war.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Rep. Ilhan Omar just doubled down on her claim that \u201cIsrael has hypnotized the world,\u201d calling its behavior \u201cevil.\u201d <\/p>\n But instead of denouncing it, Democrat leadership rewarded her with a spot on the House Foreign Relations Committee. pic.twitter.com\/gyGvb0Pnqt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Republicans and Jewish Americans were offended. New York Rep. Lee Zeldin (R), who is Jewish, tweeted that \u201cinstead of the Dems supporting Israel & combating BDS & anti-Semitism on college campuses & elsewhere, they\u2019re now empowering it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Rep. Omar who supports BDS has said, \u201cIsrael has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.\u201d Instead of the Dems supporting Israel & combatting BDS & anti-Semitism on college campuses & elsewhere, they\u2019re now empowering it. https:\/\/t.co\/PQOvXG70eD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) January 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Omar has spoken in support of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement against Israel before, and was recently assigned a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where she will vote on issues of US foreign policy and foreign aid, including that to Israel. Crucially, her committee may soon vote on a bipartisan bill<\/a> that would write into law a 2016 agreement between the US and Israel guaranteeing the Jewish state $38 billion in military aid over 10 years.<\/p>\n \u201cAnti-Semitism has no place in Congress and certainly not on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I am deeply disappointed in Speaker Pelosi\u2019s choice, a choice that threatens the Committee\u2019s long history of bipartisan support for Israel,\u201d<\/em> House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Louisiana) said in a statement on Thursday.<\/p>\n With two firestorms raging, Omar\u2019s Congressional career has gotten off to a bumpy start. However, the Minnesota lawmaker is standing her ground against the criticism. As well as defending her anti-Israel statement, Omar stood by her accusations against Graham.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Right thinks being homosexual is \u2018compromising,\u2019\u201d<\/em> she tweeted later on Thursday. \u201cY\u2019all know my tweet had nothing to do with his sexuality and everything to do with his blind cooperation w\/ Trump.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Yes, because the Right thinks being homosexual is \u201ccompromising\u201d. <\/p>\n Well I have news for them, being LGBTQ+ isn\u2019t something we should be ashamed of!<\/p>\n Y\u2019all know my tweet had nothing to do with his sexuality and everything to do with his blind cooperation w\/ Trump.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s focus! https:\/\/t.co\/6FSvjnm8xi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u2018You know how you make America great again, tell Donald Trump to go to hell.\u2019
What do they have on you? I can\u2019t tell if this shameful 180 is born of fear or thirst. Either way, we will always remember you as nothing more than remora. https:\/\/t.co\/2eZ2Zxqpkv<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
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