Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives failed to shield Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, from a censure vote for her anti-Israel remarks. The House voted overwhelmingly along party lines – with most Republicans voting yes and most Democrats voting no – to condemn Tlaib for comments she made in a podcast in May in which she referred to the foundation of the modern state of Israel as a “racist” and “wrong” action.
Democrats tried to quell the censure vote by introducing an amendment that would direct the House to recognize Israel’s right to security while also denouncing anti-Semitic tropes and comments. However, the amendment was voted down by Republicans, who pressed forward with the censure vote against Tlaib, which ultimately passed.
Democrats argued that the vote was nothing more than a political ploy to distract from legislative priorities and paint the Democratic majority as anti-Israel. Meanwhile, Republicans argued that Tlaib’s comments were an unacceptable attack on Israel and warranted the censure.
