Rep. Ilhan Omar has come under fire and been accused of anti-Semitism after sharing a tweet implying that American billionaire investor Leon Cooperman is backing Michael Bloomberg for president simply because he is Jewish.
The Democratic Congresswoman from Minnesota was slammed after she retweeted a news post announcing Cooperman will endorse fellow billionaire Bloomberg if he runs for president.
She shared the tweet saying: 'I wonder why' with a thinking face emoji.
The tweet reignited accusations of anti-Semitism against the liberal Congresswoman, with critics saying it was a thinly veiled jab at their Jewish faith rather than their status as billionaires.
Rep. Ilhan Omar came under fire on Saturday for sharing a tweet revealing Jewish billionaire Leon Cooperman will back Michael Bloomberg's 2020 bid. Critics accused her of implying the endorsement is only because the two are both Jewish
She was slammed for this tweet where she said 'I wonder why' with a thinking emoji in reply to a post announcing Jewish billionaire Leon Cooperman will back Mike Bloomberg, who is also Jewish, in his presidential bid
Cooperman said he will support former New York Mayor Bloomberg if he enters the 2020 Democratic primary for presidency. However, Bloomberg is yet to formally announce his presidential campaign. Reports say he is actively preparing to enter the primary and is expected to file the paperwork this week.
'I suppose you think it's all about the Benjamins,' Michael Dickson, the executive director of Stand With Us, a group that fights anti-Semitism, said in response. 'We get your insinuation. True to form.'
'Omar very carefully making an anti-Semitic tweet with just enough vagueness to claim that ackshually [sic] she meant it was about the benjamins and not about religion. But everyone knows what she meant, which is why she continues to do it,' Twitter user Josh Jordan wrote.
However, many were quick to come to Omar's defense saying her critics were honing in on the wrong facts.
She shared a tweet defending her saying: 'Oh for God’s sake, stop this ridiculousness. This obsession with every word Ilhan says or tweets is tired and it’s getting old.'
She shared another by Twitter user Leah Greenberg, who accused critics of twisting Omar's words.
Social media users slammed Omar saying her tweet was anti-Semitic
'Extremely this. The latest effort to twist @IlhanMN's words and impute anti-semitism to what's obviously a pretty standard observation about billionaires sharing similar political views is outrageous. It should be given no credence whatsoever.''
One critic responded saying: 'There is no effort to twist anything and you know this. Dogwhistles are called like that on purpose and have meaning behind it. At the same time there are news on Bezos who chatted with Bloomberg, but she picks another billionaire who happens to be Jewish.'
Some social media users pointed out that Omar has endorsed Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish, for president in the upcoming election.
In March this year Omar was accused of anti-Semitism at the Council of American Islamic Relations in Washington D.C. when she downplayed the 9/11 terror attacks saying 'some people did something.'
Omar shared this tweet defending her name that slammed the criticism as 'the latest effort to twist Omar's words'
She also shared this post that said: 'This obsession with every word Ilhan says or tweets is tired and it's getting old'
Back in 2012 she shared a post claiming that 'Israel has hypnotized the world' during the conflict in Gaza, drawing upon an anti-Semitic trope.
Throughout her time in office she has been vocal in her criticism of the Israeli government, has voiced support for a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and backed a boycott of Israel by supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Her backing of the BDS movement led Israel's government to ban her and Rep. Rashida Tlaib from entering the country in August 2019.
However, Omar has defended herself in the past against these accusations of anti-Semitism.
In February she shared a post saying: 'Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes.'
'My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize,' she added.
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