Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., slammed an anti-hate resolution passed in the House in response to comments made by freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar as a "watered down" and "spineless" measure that did not call Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., out by name.
"It was unfortunately filled with moral equivalences and double standards," Rep. Zeldin told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "As I pointed out on the House floor, if this was a Republican pushing what Rep. Omar is peddling with this anti-Semitic hate, it would have named that Republican member."
Further, the measure would have solely focused on combating anti-Semitism, and would have called from removing Omar from the House Foreign Relations committee, Zeldin said Friday.
"That double standard is a problem," he added.
In January, he noted, Republicans removed Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, from his committee seats and a resolution condemning white supremacy was nearly unanimously approved.
The bill that was passed denounces white supremacists and discrimination against Jews, Muslims and other groups as "hateful expressions of intolerance." Its scope was broadened after some Democrats opposed an earlier one that would have only condemned anti-Semitism. Omar was not mentioned in either version.
Zeldin was one of 23 Republicans voting against the legislation, and after the vote, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who has come out in defense of Omar, tweeted a complaint about their decision.
"I would encourage her to listen to my House floor speech," Zeldin said. "I would encourage her to call me directly or sit down next week for a meeting when we are back here in Washington, D.C., and I will tell her all about it."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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