Rep. Ilhan Omar says her voice will "always remain" after being removed from House committee

But a Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says her voice will only get louder and stronger now that she has been removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. On Thursday, the U.S. House voted along party lines to oust the Democrat from the Foreign Affairs Panel. Republicans argued that Omar should be disqualified because of several past anti-Semitic remarks. Congresswoman Omar has long ago apologized for those comments. All four Minnesota House Republicans voted against Congresswoman Omar.

All four Minnesota Democrats, including Omar herself, voted to keep her on that committee. Representative Dean Phillips, who is Jewish, gave an impassioned defense of Omar. The Congresswoman represents Eastern Hennepin County, all of Minneapolis, and a little part of Ramsey County that is St. Anthony. And Congresswoman Omar joins us now. Thanks so much for coming in. Thank you for having me.

All right. First, I do want to ask you about this Chinese surveillance balloon. Did the president handle it correctly? He did. It's all about making sure that whatever actions that are taken keep Americans safe. And I believe he did the right thing. As you know, Trump, doing the Trump presidency, this happened three times. That just came out this morning.

We're just getting details on that. And so for Republicans to lose their minds over the way in which Biden has handled when they haven't criticized Trump, again, just shows you how partisan they can be. Again, those details just breaking. Obviously, we want to ask you about your ouster from the Foreign Affairs Committee. You said that your office has a weekly highs and lows gathering, where you go over the highs and lows. Somehow that you were telling me before the show that ended up in the highs, not just the lows. Tell me about that.

Well, of course. I just want to also thank a lot of the people who have sent in warm notes to our office in support, who have called our interns and staff. They've been really grateful. So am I. There's been an outpouring of support, not just from folks in our district, but across the state and across the country. It is unfortunate that I will no longer be on the Foreign Affairs Committee, but my voice in regards to our foreign policy will always remain and it will just, as I said, be as loud as it can be. But I will continue to serve my district and my constituents on the Budget Committee, as well as the Education and Labor Committee.

Both are committees that I've served on previously. Right. And I think that's a big deal. The Committee was just reappointed to that and that's a big deal. It's a very important committee. Yes. I do want to ask you about a comment from Minnesota Republican Tom Emmer.

He is the Republican whip. His job is to gather votes for Republicans and there is the quote right there. He said, quote, there is no debate that Ilhan Omar, the face of anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party, has no place representing American interests on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Ms. Omar is an embarrassment to Minnesota and our country. Pretty tough stuff there. Yeah.

I mean, what can I say about Emmer? This is a really weak man. Someone who is in leadership of a caucus that's run by QAnon supporters and conspiracy theorists and people who talk about Jewish laser, space lasers. He himself has been accused of saying the Jewish donors are buying control of Congress and he doesn't have the care and compassion to apologize. You also have to remember Emmer represents a huge Somali community here in Minnesota. When Trump came to Minnesota and said Somalis will infiltrate our community, Emmer did not have the strength to stand up for his constituents and fellow Minnesotans. And he certainly is supporting Trump again for presidency, someone who has also been just like him accused of anti-Semitism. And so it's hard to take him seriously.

It is hard to believe anything that he says. And if there is someone that is an embarrassment in Minnesota, it's certainly him. I do want to ask you about your guest at the State of the Union speech on Tuesday. You are bringing the father of Amir Lak, who of course was killed in a no-knock warrant that took place actually right across from our studios here back a year and a half ago. Or a year ago. What is your reaction and why are you bringing him to the State of the Union? Yeah, Andre Lak will be joining me as my guest. It is time for us again as a nation to highlight the way in which our communities are policed, the constant horrendous murders of young innocent people in the hands of those who take an oath to protect and serve us.

And it's really important for Andre to be there to hear from the president and his plan in dealing with this crisis that we've dealt with for a really long time. Do you think the killing of Tyree Hill has reinvigorated people to bring up the George Floyd Act, which never passed your act, named for Amir Lak? Is the motivation there now the momentum? Exactly. There's a lot of conversations that are reignited in Congress. The Congressional Black Caucus is pushing really hard to try to make sure that there is accountability that these bills pass. I will be reintroducing the no-knock warrant act named for Amir Lak. And look forward to Andre talking about his son's legacy, his son's life, and what it will mean for us to make sure that doesn't happen to another family. Well, Congresswoman Omar.

And thank you so much for stopping by. I really appreciate it. Of course. Thank you for having me. All right.

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