GOP set to oust Ilahn Omar from committee, rights groups to gather at Capitol

This week, House Republicans took the steps to set up a vote to oust Representative Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee, with a vote scheduled for Thursday, amid outcry from Democrats and activists. 

On Wednesday, a resolution called "Removing a certain Member from a certain standing committee of the House" was introduced, listing instances in which Omar allegedly made anti-Semitic and other objectionable comments. Prior to that, on Tuesday night, the House Republicans secured a vote, deciding 9-4 along party lines, to send the resolution to remove her to the House floor. 

"Oh, so now we can vote her off," The Hill reported House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as saying. "We'll have enough votes even though there are some members who are out, unfortunately, because of family." 

McCarthy has been working hard in recent days to secure the votes needed to oust Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. This week, after meeting with several Republican lawmakers who had been on the fence, he believed he had enough votes.

For the past several months, even prior to attaining his position, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been threatening to remove Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee, a position that has allowed her to question powerful figures about foreign policy and human rights. 

The main reason given to remove Omar from the committee is over tweets seen as 'anti-Semitic'. However, McCarthy and Congresswoman Marjorie Talyor Greene have arguably made more blatant anti-Semitic statements, including a remark by Greene in which she blamed California wildfires on Jewish space lasers.

Many Democrats believe Omar is being targeted for her identity as a woman who is an African-born Muslim refugee, as well as for holding powerful people accountable for international policy.

The debate has energised activists and rights advocates, who have planned to gather in front of the Capitol at noon on Thursday. Holding a press conference will be the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Emgage Action, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the National Iranian American Council, and the Poligon Education Fund.