Ilhan Omar - live: GOP seeks to vote Democrat off Foreign Affairs Committee as she denies antisemitic remarks

Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar has accused Republican colleagues of racism as she gears up for a vote that could see her removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has pledged to force a vote as soon as Wednesday to decide the Minnesota lawmaker’s fate on the influential panel, where she has held a seat since she was first sworn in as a member of Congress in 2019.

Mr McCarthy and other Republicans have claimed that Ms Omar should lose her seat on the panel due to her criticism of the Israeli government, saying it amounts to antisemitism.

But Ms Omar, a Somali immigrant of Muslim faith who has denied knowingly making knowingly antisemitic comments in the past, has argued that the push to remove her is rooted in racism, Islamophobia and House GOP bigotry.

“It is politically motivated,” Ms Omar said during a Sunday appearance on CNN. “In some cases, it’s motivated by the fact that many of these members don’t believe a Muslim, a refugee, an African should even be in Congress, let alone have the opportunity to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee.”

Warren hosts progressive House members for dinner

15:17 , John Bowden

Elizabeth Warren hosted members of the House’s left wing for dinner on Monday as the progressive left sees some of its greatest strength in the lower chamber in recent memory.

Among the guests were Reps Greg Casar, Summer Lee, Cori Bush, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar, who is facing an effort by the Republican House caucus to remove her from the Foreign Affairs committee today.

Old comments resurface of Marjorie Taylor Greene admitting animosity for Omar is about Muslim faith

14:20 , John Bowden

As Republicans prepare to vote Tuesday to strip Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of her seat on the Foreign Affairs committee, an old clip of Marjorie Taylor Greene has resurfaced.

In the late 2021 interview, Ms Greene admits clearly that her animosity towards the Minnesota Democrat stems from her belief that Ms Omar represents “radical Islam”.

The belief behind the blatantly Islamophobic statement is one Ms Omar has accused many Republicans of harboring, and which she said in a CNN interview this week is behind the effort to oust her from Foreign Affairs.

Watch the moment below:

Omar says GOP effort is fueled by racism and Islamophobia

13:40 , Megan Sheets

Ilhan Omar claims a Republican-led push to boot her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee is rooted in racism and Islamophobia and meant to appease bigots in the House GOP conference.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans have argued that Ms Omar should be removed because her criticism of the Israeli government amounts to antisemitism.

They pointed to a comment she made about Israel having “hypnotized” the world and a past accusation she made regarding pro-Israel lawmakers’ alleged financial motivations as evidence that she is unfit to serve on the committee.

But Ms Omar, who came to the US as a child refugee from Somalia and is one of just two Muslim women in Congress, said on Sunday that the House speaker’s actions are motivated by revenge and bigotry, during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union programme.

“It is politically motivated,” Ms Omar said. “In some cases, it’s motivated by the fact that many of these members don’t believe a Muslim, a refugee, an African should even be in Congress, let alone have the opportunity to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee.”

Read more from The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg:

Ilhan Omar says GOP wants her off Foreign Affairs panel because she’s Black, Muslim

GOP gears up to vote Ilhan Omar off House Foreign Affairs Committee

13:19 , Megan Sheets

Newly empowered House Republicans are gearing up to vote on a resolution to remove Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The push has been led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, citing Ms Omar’s critical comments about Israel.

The vote could come as early as Wednesday.

Read more from the Associated Press:

Republicans set to oust Rep. Omar from Foreign Affairs panel