Liz Cheney: Dems are ‘enabling anti-Semitism’

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) is defending her decision to vote against the anti-hate resolution passed by the House last week.

Cheney, the GOP Conference chair, told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet The Press” that Democrats are now “enabling” anti-Semitism in their party.

She said that while she saw “nothing objectionable” in the language of the resolution, it was an effort to “protect” Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) against accusations of anti-Semitism.

“It was really clearly an effort to protect Ilhan Omar,” Cheney said. “To cover up her bigotry and anti-Semitism by refusing to name her.”

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) says Democrats are “enabling anti-Semitism” and describes why she voted against resolution condemning hate. #MTP #IfItsSunday@Liz_Cheney: “I decided to vote against it because it was really clearly an effort to protect Ilhan Omar.” pic.twitter.com/wDDiT3aYuO

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 10, 2019

The resolution, which passed 407-23 last Thursday, issued a broad condemnation of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hatred. It came in response to outcry over remarks by Omar widely criticized as anti-Semitic.

{mosads}Cheney’s comments on Sunday echoed other Republican lawmakers who said that the resolution should have named Omar directly. Some have also called for the Minnesota lawmaker to be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Omar’s most recent comments about “allegiance” to Israel, which critics have said play into anti-Semitic tropes, have sparked tensions over alleged anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party.

Cheney said Sunday that the Democratic Party, which now controls the House, has “a real problem.”

“The extent to which [Democrats] are now abiding by anti-Semitism, enabling anti-Semitism in their party is something we watch them struggle with, but something that’s really dangerous for the country,” she said.