Rep. Nancy Mace is trying to get Rep. Ilhan Omar removed from her committee assignments over comments the Democratic “Squad” member made about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Ms. Mace, South Carolina Republican, introduced a House resolution Monday calling for Ms. Omar to be censured and removed from the Committee on Education and Workforce, and the Committee on the Budget.
She officially introduced the privileged resolution on Tuesday, meaning the House has two days to bring it to a vote.
“We have officially filed a resolution to censure Ilhan Omar and remove her from her committee assignments,” Ms. Mace wrote Tuesday on X. “Charlie Kirk was assassinated for speaking the truth, and Ilhan Omar mocked him for it. There MUST be consequences for glorifying political violence. HOLD THE LINE.”
In response, Ms. Omar wrote on X, “Fun fact: Nancy Mace is trying to censure me over comments I never said. Her res does not contain a single quote from me because she couldn’t find any. Unlike her, I have routinely condemned political violence, no matter the political ideology. This is all an attempt to push a false story so she can fundraise and boost her run for Governor.”
Ms. Mace took issue with Ms. Omar’s comments that disparaged Republicans for saying the political left spurred the killing of Mr. Kirk, and blaming Ms. Mace and President Trump for inciting violence.
Ms. Mace posted images of the resolution on X on Monday, saying, “BREAKING: We’re filing a resolution to strip @Ilhan of her committee assignments after her disgraceful remarks on Charlie Kirk’s assassination.”
The resolution said Ms. Omar “smeared Charlie Kirk and implied he was to blame for his own murder,” and lists posts that the Democrat shared on social media.
One example is an interview Ms. Omar did with left-wing commentator Mehdi Hasan on his platform, Zeteo, where she said Republicans are “full of s—” for attacking the left over Mr. Kirk’s death.
“You have people like Nancy Mace, who constantly harass, you know, people that she finds inferior and wants them not to exist in this country or ever,” she said. “You have people like Donald Trump who has incited violence against people like me.”
“These people are full of s—, and it’s important for us to call them out while we feel anger and sadness,” she said.
Ms. Omar also said it was “really mortifying” to hear the news of Mr. Kirk’s death and see the videos, and that she could only think of his wife and children, who were with him in Utah when it happened.
Ms. Omar, who has received death threats in the past, suggested that Mr. Kirk’s expressing his political views made him a target. She said he was “someone who was willing to downplay and debate” the 2020 death of George Floyd, slavery and the treatment of Black people in the U.S.
“There are a lot of people who are out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate,” Ms. Omar said. “There is nothing more effed up, you know, like, than to completely pretend that his words and actions have not been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.”
An Omar spokeswoman said the congresswoman was “one of the first to condemn Charlie Kirk’s murder.”
“She explicitly expressed her sympathies and prayers to his wife and children. She condemned his assassination and has routinely condemned political violence, no matter the political ideology,” she said. “The same can’t be said about those who authored these resolutions.”
“In her interview, she also grappled with his divisive legacy, but she in no way implied violence was deserved, nor did she celebrate his death. It is shameful that Republican Members of Congress celebrated those who attacked cops on January 6, made jokes about the attack on Paul Pelosi, and mocked the assassination of [former Minnesota state legislator] Melissa Hortman while Democrats are united in condemning political violence,” she said.
“It is telling that those claiming they are for free speech are the ones punishing and silencing those who exercise that right. It is also notable that every single Republican censure resolution against members of Congress targets legislators of color,” Ms. Omar’s spokeswoman said.
Ms. Mace has been one of the more outspoken Republicans about Mr. Kirk’s slaying and has called out anyone whom she feels has celebrated his death. On her X account, she has posted multiple examples of people being fired from universities over their comments.
