Ilhan Omar Raises Massive Campaign Cash Despite Anti-Semitic Controversies

Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar has raised nearly one million dollars for her 2020 re-election campaign despite repeatedly receiving backlash for anti-Semitic and anti-America comments.

Omar has raised $832,000 in the three months since being sworn into congressional office, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) report filed on Monday. The massive fundraising haul puts her among the top-earning House Democrats.

Omar’s time in congressional office has been embroiled in allegations of anti-Semitism. She has defended her anti-Israel statements, such as ones invoking Allah to expose Israel’s “evil doings,” and she is on record stating that Israel is not a democracy. She also gave an interview to a host that referred to Israel as the “Jewish ISIS” and mocked how Americans speak about al-Qaeda and Hezbollah.

The Minnesota congresswoman has also faced criticism from both sides of the aisle for espousing ages old anti-Semitic canards while in office, such as accusing Jews of having a dual loyalty to the U.S. and Israel and that American support for Israel is bought by the pro-Israel lobby.

The House of Representatives passed an anti-hate resolution that was intended as a reprimand for the Omar’s anti-Semitic comments.

The financial disclosures show that while the Minnesota congresswoman has received only $10,000 from PACs, two of her fellow Democratic colleagues, and ardent defenders, have also donated to her campaign.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn donated $1,000 to Omar on March 29. Clyburn notably excused one of Omar’s anti-Semitic claims by stating that her experience as a refugee has been more difficult that the descendants of Holocaust survivors or slaves who are not as intimate with such atrocities.

Omar also received $2,000 on March 28 from Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The self-described socialist has repeatedly defended Omar’s controversial statements even when facing condemnation from Democratic leadership.

Most recently, Ocasio-Cortez came to Omar’s defense after the Muslim congresswoman described the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as merely an event where “some people did something.” Republican Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, voiced his offense with the callousness of the description, and Ocasio-Cortez immediately fired back accusing the decorated veteran of not caring about 9/11 victims and first responders.

Omar overwhelmingly won election to Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District by a 56-point margin. However, the Minnesota Democratic Party is reportedly considering removing her from congressional office for her repeated anti-Semitic statements.