Two Democrats return $2,000 donations to controversial House Rep. Ilhan Omar

Two Democrats have refused to accept donations from House Rep. Ilhan Omar because of her controversial remarks about Israel.

Dan McCready, who is running for the vacant House seat from North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District, confirmed on Twitter that he returned a $2,000 donation to Omar on March 30.

Omar made the donation to McCready on November 6, according to WSOC-TV.

McCready tweeted: ‘Some folks are asking why I directed the return of Rep. Omar’s donation.

‘I did this weeks ago because I vigorously disagree with any anti-semitic comments.

‘Since this time, dangerous and hateful attacks have started against her.

‘I condemn in the strongest terms the hateful rhetoric against her, the Muslim community and people of color.

‘Too many have been hurt by our broken politics.

‘We must end hate speech against all people and groups.’

McCready is running in a special election later this year for the vacant seat.

In November, he ran and lost to Republican Mark Harris, but state officials refused to certify the result because of massive voter fraud.

Another Democrat, House Rep Lucy McBath of Georgia, also refused to accept a $2,000 campaign contribution from the Minnesota congresswoman.

The campaign told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it rejected the donation, though no reason was given.

McBath, who represents Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District, includes areas that have relatively dense Jewish populations.

Omar, one of two Muslim women elected to the House of Representatives this past November, has been a lightning rod of controversy due to remarks about Israel that were perceived as anti-Semitic. 

Omar divided Democrats with her claim, later retracted, that moneyed Jews buy the support of U.S. lawmakers with a strategy that's 'all about the Benjamins baby.' 

Then she reignited the controversy again when she said supporters of Israel were pushing for U.S. politicians to declare 'allegiance' to that nation. 

A battle broke out between the older, powerful, more moderate Jewish members of Congress who accused Omar of anti-Semitism and the younger, progressive members who have stormed the House floor after the 2018 election and defended Omar's right to speak. 

But all Omar's controversies have had one thing in common: they have brought the wrath of Republicans on to the Democrats.   

Her latest controversy involved statements she made which were perceived by Republicans as downplaying the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 

Omar referred to the 9/11 attacks in passing during a speech before an American Muslim group, saying  'some people did something.'  

Earlier this week, President Trump said he would not apologize to Omar for the criticism he's heaped on her after her 9/11 comments, saying she's 'been very disrespectful to this country,' as Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused him of using the September 11 terror attacks as a 'political tool.'

'No not at all,' the president said when asked if he had any second thoughts about a video he tweeted that the Minnesota Democrat claimed increased death threats on her life. 

'Look, she's been very disrespectful to this country. She's been very disrespectful, frankly, to Israel. She is somebody that doesn't really understand life. Real life, what it's all about,' he told KSTP, a Minneapolis TV station, during his visit to Minnesota on Monday.