Rep. Ilham Omar (D-MN) released a statement late Sunday night responding to President Donald Trump’s video attacking her over her dismissive comment on the September 11, 2001 Islamist terror attacks on the United States about which Omar said last month at a CAIR meeting in California, “Some people did something.”
Omar posted her statement to Twitter, blaming Trump for death threats against her and for an alleged rise in hate crimes following Trump rallies. In the statement Omar did not explain her “some people did something” comment, something she has not done all week as the controversy about her comment proceeded.
Since the President’s tweet Friday evening, I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life—many directly referencing or replying to the President’s video. I thank the Capitol Police, the FBI, the House Sergeant at Arms, and the Speaker of the House for their attention to these threats.
Violent crimes and other acts of hate by right-wing extremists and white nationalists are on the rise in this country and around the world. We can no longer ignore that they are being encouraged by the occupant of the highest office in the land. Counties that hosted a 2016 Trump rally saw a 226 percent increase in hate crimes in the months following the rally. And assaults increase when cities host Trump rallies. This is particularly concerning given the president’s visit to my home state of Minnesota on Monday.
Violent rhetoric and all forms of hate speech have no place in our society, much less from our country’s Commander in Chief.
We are all Americans. This is endangering lives. It has to stop.
We are all Americans. This is endangering lives. It has to stop. pic.twitter.com/gwB2kDUIRp
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 15, 2019
Trump video:
WE WILL NEVER FORGET! pic.twitter.com/VxrGFRFeJM
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019
