Tensions flare as Democrats struggle to respond to Omar controversy

Congress

Some lawmakers privately vented that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team had failed to adequately respond to the escalating political crisis.

House Democratic leaders are struggling to contain the controversy over Rep. Ilhan Omar‘s comments about Israel, with the caucus fighting behind closed doors over whether — and how — to respond.

Tensions ran high at a caucus meeting Wednesday as some Democrats privately vented that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team had failed to adequately respond to the escalating political crisis, with too little outreach to their own rank and file.

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Freshman Rep. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut stood up and confronted Pelosi directly, arguing that she shouldn’t have to learn about the official Democratic Caucus response from MSNBC. Hayes said she now has to vote on a resolution that she’s barely read, without a private briefing from leadership, according to five sources.

Pelosi countered that the Democratic measure to condemn anti-Semitism is not final, though text had been circulating and a vote had been tentatively planned for Wednesday. That vote was postponed amid a last-minute backlash from progressives in the caucus.

Pelosi also said Democratic leaders were forced to respond quickly over the weekend — a task made trickier with Omar on a congressional delegation trip to East Africa over the weekend.

As Hayes was then talking to another member, Pelosi said, “Well if you’re not going to listen to me, I’m done talking,” then set down the microphone and walked out of the room, the sources said.

A senior Democratic aide disputed that it was a tense exchange, saying Pelosi was merely trying to explain why things unfolded the way they did over the past few days.

Hayes later said in an interview that she didn’t hear Pelosi responding to her and had already started to walk out of the room.

“I’m not interested in legislating through the media and social media,” Hayes said, noting when she received a copy of the draft resolution it wasn’t even clear which lawmakers were the lead authors. “I know that leadership has the ability to tighten up the process and do something about it.”

That moment of frustration reflects widespread anxiety in the caucus over how to handle the latest bout of remarks from Omar — one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress — after she suggested that pro-Israel advocates had “allegiance” to Israel. The remarks offended multiple top Democrats, who said it alluded to painful, decades-old stereotypes that Jews had “dual loyalties.”

Multiple Jewish lawmakers, including Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) stood up in the caucus meeting to explain why Omar’s latest remarks were so offensive and potentially dangerous. But other Democrats — including a Jewish lawmaker — stood up to defend Omar and say they didn’t see the remarks as deeply offensive.

Omar did not speak in the meeting, multiple sources said, although she was spotted chatting with some Democrats one-on-one and received hugs from others.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who is Jewish, said Omar has personally apologized to her, which she said ended with a friendly embrace.

“I do not believe that Ilhan Omar is anti-Semitic,” Schakowsky said. “I absolutely believe that she has become, as a result, a target. I think the Republicans love that, and frankly, I think the media loves to exploit the divisions.”

“I think we ought to stay off of social media to have these conversations,” Schakowsky added, referring to multiple spats that have broken out among members, including an exchange between Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Juan Vargas of California over the weekend.

Democratic leaders have rushed to rewrite a resolution condemning anti-Semitism that was initially aimed at Omar’s remarks last week. That measure, which is expected to reach a floor vote Thursday, is now being written to include broader language to condemn other forms of hate speech.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus had spoken out loudly against a measure aimed at Omar’s comments at a time when Omar herself has been the target of anti-Muslim attacks.

“It’s not just the Congressional Black Caucus. Many members of the Democratic Caucus are concerned,” CBC Chairwoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) said of the previous draft of the resolution. “We want to make clear that we stand against the general rise of hatred.”

“I also think, frankly, that it puts her at risk.” Bass said.