April 15, 2019

Omar reports more death threats against her since Trump tweet

Source: AP

Rep. Ilhan Omar says she's faced increased death threats since President Trump spread around a video that purports to show her being dismissive of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

"This is endangering lives," the Minnesota Democrat said in a statement Sunday night, accusing Trump of fomenting right-wing extremism. "It has to stop."

Her statement followed an announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she has taken steps to ensure the safety of Omar, and the speaker's call for Trump to take down the video.

Soon after Pelosi's statement, the video disappeared as a pinned tweet at the top of Trump's Twitter feed, but it was not deleted.


Read more: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/04/14/pelosi-trump-tweet-omar-video

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"Updated: 10:05 p.m. Posted: 7:45 p.m." (Central Time)

Later in the article, she said "a sharp increase" in threats on her life.

It's an MPRNews link, but the top of the story says it is an Associated Press story.

I'm blanking out, but I've been trying to think all day of the last time some congress person (representative or senator) was ever this much targeted with death threats and hostility. I can't think of anything like this in my 60+ year lifetime, but perhaps there was something like this in the darkest part of the civil right struggle. Before that, probably in the lead-up to the civil war. But like I say, I probably have a blank spot.

I'm leaving aside congress people who were running for president, I'm sure Bobby Kennedy also had a ton of death threats (and assassinated).

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Edited to add: she's my congresswoman. So I've kind of felt under attack too, sort of a siege mentality on my part, watching all this day after day for, what, 3 months now.