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Rep. Ilhan Omar Apologizes for Critical AIPAC Tweet

HeadlineFeb 12, 2019

Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar issued an apology Monday after her tweet calling out the Israeli lobby group AIPAC’s relationship with lawmakers went viral and drew swift rebuke in Washington, including from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

On Sunday, Omar retweeted a post by journalist Glenn Greenwald that read, in part: “It’s stunning how much time US political leaders spend defending a foreign nation even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans,” adding the line: “It’s all about the Benjamins baby.” An editor from The Forward newspaper then tweeted, “Would love to know who @IlhanMN thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel … Bad form, Congresswoman. That’s the second anti-Semitic trope you’ve tweeted,” to which Omar then tweeted in response, ”AIPAC!”

Omar’s apology Monday read, “Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes.” Omar went on to offer an “unequivocal apology” and added, “At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be Aipac, the N.R.A. or the fossil fuel industry.”

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