Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslims elected to Congress, quickly dismissed Rep. Lauren Boebert’s claim that the two had had a fiery interaction in a Capitol elevator. Boebert claimed during a campaign stop over the weekend to have felt safer riding in the elevator with Omar once she determined Omar didn’t “have a backpack,” then said she greeted the Democrat by saying, “Oh, look, the Jihad Squad decided to show up for work today.”
The video of Boebert telling her story went around Twitter Thursday and that’s also where Omar responded: “Fact, this buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout.”
Omar continued, “Anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t funny & shouldn’t be normalized. Congress can’t be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation.”
Prior to sending out her own tweet, Omar told a reporter that Boebert won’t even look at her, let alone talk to her, when they see each other at work.
Others spoke up in defense of Omar and Muslims at large, too, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the other Muslim woman in Congress. She tweeted, “These pathetic racist lies will not only endanger the life of @IlhanMN, but will increase hate crimes towards Muslims. The continued silence & inaction towards this hate-filled colleague and others is enabling violence. It must stop.”
Watch the original clip of Boebert’s story below: