Reps. Zeldin, Omar exchange barbs in Twitter war
Rep. Lee Zeldin, left, in Sachem on Oct. 30, 2018. Rep. Ilhan Omar, right, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 24. Credit: Danielle Silverman; Alex Wong/Getty Images
Crazy, bully and anti-Semitic are just some of the insults Rep. Lee Zeldin is trading with Rep. Ilhan Omar following their appointments to a key U.S. House panel.
Zeldin (R-Shirley) on Twitter Wednesday called the naming of Omar to the Foreign Affairs subcommittee “crazy.” Omar (D-Minn.) became one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress last fall and is the only one to wear a hijab. Zeldin is the lone Jewish Republican in the House.
“Was selected as ranking member of the @HouseForeign subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations! Just learned Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar was also put on this committee [with] oversight of US foreign policy,” Zeldin began. “Crazy to watch what House Dems are empowering/elevating.”
Zeldin has called Omar, a Somali-American, “anti-Israel” and “anti-Semitic.” His aide said that was in reference to several issues including, Omar’s support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel.
Omar fired back later on Twitter: “Don’t mind him, he is just waking up to the reality of having Muslim women as colleagues who know how to stand up to bullies! It’s gonna be fun watching him lose his marbles.”
Zeldin responded later, suggesting Omar supported terrorist organizations.
“Those poor innocent ISIS fighters & Palestinian terrorists right? Give me a break! That’s a problem no matter your religion or gender Ilhan,” Zeldin wrote. “Your anti-Semitic and anti-Israel hate is strong & wrong & those terrorists have blood on their hands as well.”
In the final (for now) response of the exchange, Omar shared a link to an online column headlined “Muslim Congresswoman calls out GOP lawmaker’s bigotry” and wrote above it: “Thank you, next.”
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