Punishment sought for Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

Members of Congress, like all Americans, have great freedom for their speech.

But there are some types of speech that society rejects outright. One of is anti-Semitic rhetoric.

And that's why Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., are being put in the bull's-eye of a petition that already has collected more than 130,000 signatures asking for them to be removed of various congressional committees and censured.

"Anti-Semitism has no place – especially in Congress," explains an online petition assembled by the American Center for Law and Justice.

It charges that Omar and Tlaib "repeatedly" have engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric.

"Rep. Omar said that support for Israel is 'all about the Benjamins' – a bigoted accusation that Jews control all the money. She's attacked Jews and anyone who supports Israel as having a dual allegiance – another anti-Semitic trope. Rep. Tlaib said she has a 'calming feeling' about the Holocaust," it explains.

"Someone espousing these bigoted views should not have access to classified information or sit on congressional committees such as the Foreign Affairs Committee," the petition states.

The ACLJ's Jordan Sekulow has noted that anti-Semitic attacks "are increasing across the country."

He noted 60 percent of the hate crimes committed in New York City alone targeted Jewish people, "and that's just through June."

A majority of religiously motivated hate crimes in the United States are committed against Jewish people – despite Jews making up not even 2 percent of the population, he explained.

"It was less than two months ago that a young man entered a California synagogue with an assault rifle and opened fire, murdering one woman and injuring the rabbi and others. … That terrible attack came just six months after another gunman entered a Pittsburg synagogue with a gun and senselessly killed 11 members," he said.

"What can we really expect when our own U.S. representative feel comfortable casting hateful anti-Semitic slurs?"

He cited the actions and words of Omar and Tlaib.

WND columnist Rachel Alexander wrote recently about the two newcomers to Congress.

"The current wave of anti-Semitism gained momentum with the election of Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. to Congress. Both are radical Islamists and the first two female Islamic members ever elected to Congress. In February, Omar retweeted a post discussing how she and Tlaib were facing punishment from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for criticizing Israel. She added, 'It's all about the Benjamins, baby.' Benjamins refers to $100 bills, which feature an image of Benjamin Franklin. It was a reference to Jews and money. The phrase comes from a song with the same name by Puff Daddy, who sang about money and used the word Hebrews in one version of the song. Only after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ordered Omar to apologize did she retract her tweet," Alexander wrote.

"Tlaib sparked outrage when she tweeted in January that people supporting a bill protecting states that penalize Israel boycotters 'forgot what country they represent.' Critics immediately pointed out that the 'dual loyalty' accusation is a known anti-Semitic line. But she did not delete her tweet."

Alexander said some believe the anti-Semitic rhetoric of Omar and Tlaib is inciting violence against Jews.

"Highland Park, Illinois, Rabbi Evan Moffic warned on a 'Fox & Friends' panel, 'When Ilhan Omar said 'It's all about the Benjamins, baby,' and she said Israel has 'hypnotized the world,' she's drawing on these stereotypes that have murdered millions of people in the Holocaust, which just happened 75 years ago. … It's exactly because of that rhetoric.'"

Omar also has a history of anti-Semitism, writing on Twitter in 2012 Israel "has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel."

"This shocking trend cannot continue," wrote Sekulow. "We are demanding that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team stand against anti-Semitism and remove Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib from committees where they hold an elevated platform to influence – including matters directly impacting Israel.

"It's up to us to fight back against anti-Semitism and send a message to the rest of the world."