After House Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed Ilhan Omar from her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Democratic lawmakers have jumped to defend the Minnesota representative.

Omar is the first Somali American and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. McCarthy made the decision to bring her committee seat up for vote, citing past anti-Semitic remarks from Omar as the reason behind his decision, particularly a comment she made in 2019 about U.S. support of Israel being motivated by money.

Critics accused Omar of engaging in tropes surrounding Jewish people and money, whereas others say the condemnation has conflated anti-Semitism with criticism of Israel.

Regardless, Omar issued an apology at the time, writing: “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.. ... I unequivocally apologize.”

Republicans voted Thursday to remove Omar from her seat on the committee over claimed anti-Semitism, but New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was quick to point out the prejudiced history of GOP members, all of whom did not have their seats revoked.

"Don't tell me that this is about a condemnation of anti-Semitic remarks, when you have a member of the Republican caucus who has talked about Jewish space lasers, and also elevated her to some of the highest committee assignments in this body," Ocasio-Cortez said, in reference to conservative representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. "This is about targeting women of color in the United States of America."

Greene alleged in 2018 that California wildfires were purposely started by politicians and wealthy bankers, via "Jewish space lasers." She now sits on oversight and homeland security committees, which McCarthy approved of because Greene issued apologizes for her statements.

McCarthy himself has also accused Jewish billionaires of trying to “buy” the midterm elections.

Ocasio-Cortez also indirectly called out representative Paul Gosar, who now has "one of the most prestigious committee assignments in this Congress," despite making threats on the congresswoman's life. In 2021, Gosar tweeted an edited anime video that showed him killing Ocasio-Cortez. He currently serves on the oversight and natural resources committees.

Ocasio-Cortez said the pushback against Omar is part of the "extension of the disgusting legacy" of post 9/11 racism against Muslim-Americans.

"There is nothing consistent with the Republican Party's continued attack except for the racism and incitement of violence against women of color in this body," she said, concluding her speech, "I didn't get a single apology when my life was threatened. Thank you."