WaPo Columnist: Rep. Omar Latest Example of Dems’ High Standards on Anti-Semitism, MeToo

Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank appeared on CNN Tuesday to explain his latest piece, in which he says Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is using President Donald Trump’s playbook when it comes to accusing people of dual loyalty.

“American Muslims above all have been the victims of this questioning of their loyalty to the country. You’ve seen it when the president talked of having as a candidate the Muslim ban,” Milbank told CNN’s Erica Hill. “You see people on the far-right saying, ‘Well, they believe in sharia law and therefore can’t serve in government.’ You see these anti-sharia laws popping up in most states and it’s all about suggesting that there’s divided loyalty there.”

Milbank added he believes there are “different standards” between Democrats and Republicans.

“I do think the Democrats are holding [Omar] to a higher standard than Republicans have been holding themselves. I think that’s probably also true on #MeToo and other things. The question is, should Democrats do the same thing Republicans have been doing, sort of circle the wagons and basically look the other way because there are a member of the tribe. I think that it’s probably worthwhile to hold yourself to a higher standard.”

Omar is receiving new criticism from her latest remarks about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The House of Representatives is set to vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism tomorrow.

“I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country,” she said, according to NBC News.”I want to ask, ‘Why is it OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA, or fossil fuel industries or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobbying group that is influencing policy?”

Watch above, via CNN.