"They are enablers," Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said of congressional Republicans. | Andrew Harnik, File/AP Photo National Emergency DNC chair chides Republicans for Trump ‘calisthenics’

The head of the Democratic National Committee on Sunday criticized Republicans’ unwillingness to criticize President Donald Trump while coming out against the commander in chief’s national emergency declaration to build a wall along the southern border.

On NBC’s “Meet the Press,“ Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez responded to criticisms about Rep. Ilhan Omar’s comments that had been called anti-Semitic earlier this month. Perez said Omar’s comments suggesting Jews were buying influence in Washington were wrong and divisive.


But Perez turned the tables on Republicans for not being more forthright in criticizing Trump.

“The difference between Democrats and Republicans is: When we see people within our own ranks do things or say things that are antithetical to our values, we are not reluctant to call them out,” Perez said.

“On the other side, unfortunately, they are enablers.”

Perez singled out Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who earlier spoke on “Meet the Press“ of Trump’s national emergency declaration to build a border wall: “I wish he wouldn’t use it in this case.”

“Look at Sen. Johnson with this national emergency calisthenics that he just did,” Perez said. “He understands that it's unconstitutional, but God forbid that he would say something against Donald Trump.”

