Molly Prince on May 13, 2019

House Majority Steny Hoyer defended Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib on Monday after she received widespread criticism for promulgating historically inaccurate claims about the Holocaust.

“If you read Rep. [Tlaib’s] comments, it is clear that President [Donald] Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking them out of context,” Hoyertweeted. “They must stop, and they owe her an apology.”

Hoyer’s comments were in response to Tlaib’s appearance on the “Skullduggery” podcast where she revealed that when she envisions the Holocaust she gets a “calming feeling” because her Palestinian ancestors provided a “safe haven” for some Jewish people.

“There’s always kind of a calming feeling I tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” Tlaib said on Saturday

“And just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time,” she continued. “I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away and it was forced on them.”

Tlaib received massive blowback for both using the word “calming” when describing her feelings toward the Holocaust, as well as incorrectly stating that Palestinians provided a “safe haven” for the Jewish people. In reality, Palestinians massacred Jews during the Holocaust and started a revolt against the British to prevent Jews from entering. Arab nations allied with the Nazis during World War II.

Trump responded to Tlaib’s “horrible and highly insensitive statements on the Holocaust” and further contended that she “obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people.”

GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney, who is an outspoken opponent of anti-Semitism, called out Hoyer by name, urging Democratic leadership to condemn the anti-Semitism that has been rising in the party.

“Surely now [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi & ⁦Majority Leader Steny Hoyer]⁩ will finally take action against vile anti-Semitism in their ranks,” Cheney said on Sunday. “This must cross the line, even for them. Rashida Tlaib says thinking of the Holocaust provides her a ‘calming feeling.’”

After Hoyer released a statement defending Tlaib, Cheney responded that she is “deeply sorry for our nation that the House Democratic leadership continues to enable the anti-Semitism in their ranks.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy also slammed House Democrats for not reigning in the growing anti-Semitism within their caucus.

“The latest comments by Rep. Tlaib are ugly and disturbing. But sadly, they represent a consistent position of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel. Worse, the Democrat leadership continues to tolerate this hate-filled and anti-Semitic rhetoric,” McCarthy told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “Allowing this destructive language to continue unchecked goes directly against American ideals. It is time Democrat leaders finally take a stand in denouncing these vile statements.”

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