Ilhan Omar may be censured for calling Jewish students ‘pro-genocide

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) could be the latest Democratic lawmaker to face a censure resolution in the House after Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) announced plans to condemn the hard-left lawmaker over her comments on pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.

Bacon is set to introduce the resolution as early as Wednesday, although it remains unclear when the Nebraska Republican will seek to force a vote on the measure. The text has not yet been finalized for the resolution, although it’s likely to include Omar’s latest comments as well as past statements regarding Israel, according to a source familiar.

Omar has previously faced censure threats, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filing a similar resolution over statements related to Somalia. However, that resolution never made it to the floor for a vote.

The latest censure resolution comes in direct response to comments Omar made last week suggesting that some Jewish students at Columbia University were “pro-genocide.”

“I think it is really unfortunate that people don’t care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe,” Omar said. “We should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they’re pro-genocide or anti-genocide.”

That statement, Bacon argued, amounted to antisemitic speech.

“Folks can protest Israel, but don’t blame Jewish American students for Israel,” Bacon told Axios. “That is by definition antisemitism.”

The censure effort also comes nearly six months ago after fellow “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) was censured over pro-Palestinian comments and use of the phrase “from the river to the sea,” referring to the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River that includes Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. That phrase has prompted widespread backlash from several lawmakers, who pointed to the slogan’s adoption by the Hamas terrorist group to advocate the destruction of Israel

Omar’s comments came as she was visiting student encampments at Columbia University, at which her daughter is a student protester. The statement has garnered widespread criticism, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) calling the language “detestable.”

“She’s on exactly the wrong side of the issue,” Johnson said, adding that he hasn’t spoken with Bacon about his proposed resolution.

House Democratic leaders also responded to Omar’s comments but stopped short of saying whether they’d support a motion to rebuke her publicly.

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“It’s not the language I would have chosen; it’s not something I would have said,” said Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA). “We all have an obligation to turn the temperature down, especially when we’re in those positions where people are listening to us.”

It’s not yet clear when the resolution may reach the floor, and Bacon has not yet indicated what his timeline may be. The Washington Examiner contacted Omar’s office for comment.