House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Monday called on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and other Democrats to act against those in their conference who consistently spout antisemitic remarks.
During a news conference, McCarthy was asked about the comments made by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who called Israel a "racist state" on Saturday while addressing pro-Palestinian protesters who interrupted a panel discussion at the Netroots Nation conference in Chicago.
Jayapal tweeted an apology Sunday, saying she didn't mean the "idea" of Israel as a nation is racist but was referring to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Democrats scrambled to distance themselves from her initial comment.
A draft letter circulated by several Jewish Democratic representatives stated, "We are deeply concerned about Representative Pramila Jayapal's unacceptable comments about our historic, democratic ally Israel, and we appreciate her retraction." Also, Jeffries and two other House Democrats issued a joint statement Sunday night saying Israel is not a racist state, but it did not mention Jayapal by name.
"This isn't the first person in the Democratic conference who has continued to make antisemitic comments," McCarthy said. "We have watched what they continually do. There are a number of them over there. I think if the Democrats want to believe they do not have a conference that continues to make antisemitic remarks, they need to do something about it because they have defended these individuals time and again.
"The only time action has ever been taken, is when we had to take the action. I think this is a role for the leader, Hakeem, to prove that, no, they're not antisemitic, and they cannot allow their members to continue to say what they have said in the past."
McCarthy said Jayapal's comment came at an unfortunate time because Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, and because this year marks the 75th anniversary of Israeli statehood.
"Within minutes of Israel becoming a country [in 1948], America recognized them," McCarthy said. "But now we have leaders in the Democratic Party — she's not just elected as a Democrat in their conference, she is a leader in their caucuses, and she's making these comments."
McCarthy then went over antisemitic comments made by Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and noted a resolution sponsored by Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota to condemn Israel over alleged human rights violations against Palestinian children. The resolution cites data from a group that has ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the U.S. has labeled a terrorist organization.
"These are just multiple Democrats on multiple times consistently saying antisemitic remarks and it has got to stop," McCarthy said. "… Do they think Israel is an evil state? Well, [if] they believe differently, they should take action against their own for the comments coming from their leadership within their own Democratic Party, and that's wrong."
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