The House passed a resolution condemning hate language on Thursday after alleged anti-semitic comments from Rep. Ilhan Omar consumed lawmakers' attention this week, caused an internecine war among Democrats, and brought the wrath of Republicans.
The final vote was 407 to 23 with one lawmaker voting present . All the no votes were Republicans.
As the gavel slammed down to close the vote, it carried with it the hopes of Democratic leaders that the issue can be put to rest and the party can move forward to their signature legislation - a sweeping anti-corruption in bill, which will be voting on Friday.
The House passed a resolution condemning hate language 407 to 23
Democrats in the House of Representatives will vote Thursday on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism and other hateful speech following anti-Israel comments by Ilhan Omar, who is seen Thursday at a House Foreign Affairs Committee
Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert took to the House floor before the vote on the anti-hate resolution to announce his opposition to it, arguing the original measure 'should never be watered down.
'There's never been a persecution of people like the Jewish people,' he said.
Republican Rep. Steve King, who has been accused of supporting white supremacists, was the present vote.
Some Democrats agreed with him but supported the legislation.
Democratic Rep. Eliot Engle of New York, who is Jewish, said he would vote for the resolution but was disappointed there wasn't a separate resolution just condemning Omar's comments.
Democratic leaders had hoped to dispatch with the issue quickly through a hastily written resolution condemning anti-semitism.
But they broadened the text to include condemn Islamophobia and white supremacism after Omar's defenders said one form of hate should not be singled out.
Minutes before the scheduled vote Thursday Democrats pulled it again, to add several groups not included in the original measure, including Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQ community.
Lawmakers held a contentious debate on the House floor for nearly an hour before the vote occurred with Republicans questioning why such a resolution was necessary.
'We shouldn't have had to go through the number of versions we have had to,' GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy said, adding: 'I will pledge to you this: from this side of the aisle – and I hope you understand this clearly, any hatred, we take action.'
And Republican Rep. Doug Collins pointed out lawmakers were 'debating a resolution we should have learned in kindergarten. Be nice.'
He also criticized the measure as so 'thrown together at the last minute' that 'we left out disabled people.'
The chaos surrounding the vote reflects the disarray among the Democrats after Omar made comments that were alleged to be anti-Semitism.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi cleared Rep. Ilhan Omar of intentional anti-Semitism, saying the freshman lawmaker didn't appreciate how her comments were interpreted by others
Speaker Nancy Pelosi cleared Omar of intentional anti-Semitism in her controversial remarks that sparked outrage among Democrats and said the resolution the House will vote on Thursday condemning hate speech is not about the freshman lawmaker.
'It's not about her, it's about these forms of hatred,' Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol on Thursday.
'I don't think the congresswoman perhaps doesn't appreciate how it was heard by other people although I don't believe it was intended as anti-Semitic although that's how it was interpreted,' the speaker said.
'We're not policing the speech of our members,' Pelosi said, but argued the measure about condemning hate speech.
Nor was Omar's name be specifically mentioned in the 1,400 word text, which some Democrats had argued for while the congresswoman's defenders countered that would require a resolution any time a lawmaker said or tweeted something offensive.
'One resolution is not mentioning her name because it's not about her,' Pelosi noted.
Democrats had battled over the wording of the resolution - should it directly refer to Omar and anti-semitism or should it be broadened to condemn all hate speech.
A battle broke out between the older, powerful Jewish members of Congress who accused Omar of anti-Semitism and the younger, progressive members who have stormed the House floor after the 2018 election and defended Omar's right to speak.
Leadership is pushing the vote in the hopes the party can move past the controversy that has engulfed Democrats and brought about the wrath of Republicans.
Omar, who is one of the first Muslim women in Congress, came under fire for suggesting last Friday that supporters of Israel were urging lawmakers to have 'allegiance to a foreign country.'
Her words have split Democrats down the middle and left Pelosi in a bind: too harsh a resolution would alienate the liberal lawmakers - led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - who have rallied to Omar's side but not harsh enough will anger powerful Jewish lawmakers and their supporters, who vote Democratic and contribute heavily to the party.
The vote, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed among the outrage and as Pelosi tried to unsettle her ruffled lawmakers.
The controversy has tried leadership patience and overshadowed their top legislation priority: an election and ethics reform bill scheduled for a Friday vote.
Several Democratic lawmakers confronted Pelosi at a contentious meeting Wednesday evening that ended with Pelosi dropping the mic and walking out.
The tension came after freshman Rep. Jahana Hayes confronted Pelosi about wanting more input into the process of writing the resolution.
Pelosi responded the text was not final yet.
And when Hayes turned to talk to another member, Pelosi left.
'Well if you're not going to listen to me, I'm done talking,' she said, then set down the microphone and walked out of the room, sources told Politico.
Hayes said she did not hear Pelosi speaking to her.
'My comments were about the process we are using when concerns arise,' Hayes said in a statement. 'As a member of Congress I should not get important information from cable news.'
Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, who is Jewish, called on the House to condemn anti-semitism
House Democrats updated their resolution on condemning hate language, changing the original version (left) to include Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQ community (right)
President Donald Trump, who has himself drawn accusations of anti-Semitism on several occasions, denounced Democrats on Twitter.
'It is shameful that House Democrats won't take a stronger stand against Anti-Semitism in their conference,' the president tweeted. 'Anti-Semitism has fueled atrocities throughout history and it's inconceivable they will not act to condemn it!'
It's at least the third time Omar has forced older, pro-Israel Democrats who run the House into awkward territory over U.S.-Israeli policy. The first was her claim, later retracted, that moneyed Jews buy the support of U.S. lawmakers with a strategy that's 'all about the Benjamins baby.'
'When a colleague invokes anti-semitic lies three times, then this body must condemn antisemitism. Antisemitism is worthy of being condemned on its own,' Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, who is Jewish, said on the House floor on Thursday.
Omar has not apologized for her latest comments.
New York Rep Nita Lowey, a senior Democrat who chairs the powerful Appropriations Committee, blasted Omar over the weekend as the pressure for an apology increased.
'Lawmakers must be able to debate w/o prejudice or bigotry. I am saddened that Rep. Omar continues to mischaracterize support for Israel. I urge her to retract this statement and engage in further dialogue with the Jewish community on why these comments are so hurtful,' she tweeted Saturday.
President Donald Trump landed a Twitter punch on House Democrats with a complaint on Wednesday that they were dithering on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism
Trump, who has himself been accused of anti-Jewish commentary in the past, said anti-Semitism 'has fueled atrocities throughout history'
Pelosi would not be drug into the debate over whether or not Omar should apologize.
'It's up to her to explain but I don't believe she understood the weight of her words,' the speaker said on Thursday.
Omar got a boost Tuesday from allies who point out that she, too, has been the target of threats and bigotry.
'I am so honored to serve with @IlhanMN, an incredible courageous woman,' tweeted Rep. Rashid Tlaib, a fellow Muslim whose arrival in Washington was marred by her boast that anti-Trump lawmakers planned 'to impeach the motherf***er.'
'Every time I worry about her and the ugly attacks, I remember what she said to me two months ago: 'I survived war, I can survive this',' Tlaib wrote of Omar.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested in a tweet that her fellow freshman was being treated unfairly.
'No one seeks this level of reprimand when members make statements about Latinx + other communities,' the New York Democrat wrote.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/08/house-passes-resolution-condemning-anti-semitism/
Main photo article The House passed a resolution condemning hate language on Thursday after alleged anti-semitic comments from Rep. Ilhan Omar consumed lawmakers’ attention this week, caused an internecine war among Democrats, and brought the wrath of Republicans.
The final vote was 407 to 23 with one la...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/07/22/10719476-6784005-image-a-29_1551998207555.jpg
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