Rep. Ilhan Omar removed from Foreign Affairs Committee

In a nearly party-line vote, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was removed from her post on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as Republicans cited past antisemitic comments.

The vote passed by a 218-211 margin with one Republican voting present.

Omar was appointed to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Education Committee last week.

In 2019, Omar was condemned by Republicans for tweeting, “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” a reference to a song about the $100 bill and AIPAC, a pro-Israeli lobbying group. While Republicans attempted to vote to formally condemn Omar, House Democrats put on the floor legislation that condemns “anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism and other forms of bigotry.”

Although it’s been four years since her comments, Republicans were finally able to formally punish Omar for the remarks.

Omar, a Somali-born American Citizen from Minnesota, believes her ethnicity affected her denunciation.

“I am Muslim. I am an immigrant and, interestingly from Africa. Is anyone surprised that I am being targeted? Is anyone surprised that I am somehow deemed unworthy to speak about American foreign policy or that they see me as a powerful voice that needs to be silenced? Frankly, it is expected,” she said.

The removal from the committee comes after Democrats blocked several GOP representatives from serving on the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries later said he will move Omar to the House Budget Committee.