Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is blasting a poster that was seen in West Virginia's state house likening her to 9-11 terrorists.
The poster, which had a head shot of Omar below a picture of the bombing of New York's World Trade Center in 2001, was displayed in the routunda of the building in Charleston, WV.
Above the photos is the phrase "Never forget" - you said. Below Omar's picture is the phrase "I am proof you have forgotten."
No wonder why I am on the “Hitlist” of a domestic terrorist and “Assassinate Ilhan Omar” is written on my local gas stations.Look no further, the GOP's anti-Muslim display likening me to a terrorist rocks in state capitols and no one is condemning them! https://t.co/0ouCaloWqh
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 1, 2019The poster was part of the inaugural WVGOP Day called "Republicans Take The Rotunda," and was put up outside the West Virginia House of Delegates chamber.
"I don't want to say anything, sir," said Brenda Arthur, who was running the booth where the poster was displayed. "I've been intereviewed before and the media always cuts out what I say and what I want to say, so I'm not interested."
The poster led to a brawl among West Virginia lawmakers, with one person reportedly needing hospital treatment for injuries.West Virginia House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, a Republican, condemned the display:
“The West Virginia House of Delegates unequivocally rejects hate in all of its forms. As we began today’s floor session, we had a series of incidents occur in and outside of our Chamber that absolutely do not reflect the character and civility the people of this state demand of their public servants. Leadership of the House of Delegates is currently working to investigate these incidents to learn firsthand the factual basis of what occurred, and will respond with appropriate action.”
This comes as an upper midwest Jewish community leader says he's appalled with Omar, who was quoted earlier in the week saying it's "OK" to push for allegiance to a foreign country.
Omar made the statement Feb. 27 during a forum at a bookstore in Washington, DC, as reported by Jewish Insider.
In a statement to the StarTribune, Omar's spokesman says the congresswoman "has consistently spoken out about the undue influence of lobbying groups for foreign interests of all kinds and her comments were about just that. To suggest otherwise is an inaccurate reading of her remarks.”
Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas executive director Steve Hunegs says Omar's comment insults the patriotism of Jewish-Americans.
RELATED: Omar apologizes for tweet
Sworn in for her first term in January, Omar came under fire for a now-deleted tweet where she said it was "about the Benjamins" when it comes to Congressional support for Israel to Jewish influence and lobbying.
Some members of Minnesota's congressional delegation expressed disappointment with Omar's statement, with Rep. Dean Phillips, who is Jewish, called the comment divisive.
Minnesota GOP chair Jennifer Carnihan said it was "another week, another anti-Semetic comment from Omar."
