Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D) has been facing heavy scrutiny for the past few weeks over claims of anti-Semitism, and apparent opposition against Israel.
Though she’s maintained her innocence over comments she argues have been misconstrued, she’s now gained the support of someone that adds context to her comments that only worsens the situation.
This week, David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, took to twitter to not only endorse rep. Omar’s comments, but he also praised her as “the most important member of the US Congress!”
https://twitter.com/DrDavidDuke/status/1103710728064847877
Following the tweet praising the Minnesota Congresswoman, David Duke released a string of anti-Semitic tweets slamming what he terms the “Z.O.G. (Zionist Occupation Government.”
Referencing Congresswoman Omar’s comment that AIPAC pays politicians to be pro-Israel, Duke responded to a tweet from Nikki Haley, telling her that “the most powerful political moneybags in American politics are Zionists.”
https://twitter.com/DrDavidDuke/status/1094961012921585667
Duke is outspoken about his anti-Semitism, but Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has not denounced his endorsement of her comments, and the Democratic party has not distanced themselves from his support either since he shared his support late last week.
Duke's support comes at a time when the Democratic party is looking to claim the Presidency in the 2020 Presidential elections while facing internal battles concerning calls of anti-Semitism from members and political leaders that members have aligned themselves with.
Most recently, activists like Linda Sarsour have faced criticism for espousing anti-Semitic views, and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz penned an op-ed discussing why she had to distance herself from the Women's March. She explained that some of its leaders shared anti-Semitic views and, while she still agrees with the intentions of the movement, she could not "walk shoulder to shoulder with leaders who lock arms with outspoken peddlers of hate."
In turn, the focus is on Congresswoman Omar to denounce the support of David Duke, but Duke's support has yet to be addressed.
