(JTA) Almost as soon as a conference call started between Ilhan Omar, the controversial congresswoman, and Jewish community leaders, Hadar Susskind recognized a familiar voice.
“I know there are a lot of people who in the last weeks have expressed support in trying to say this isn’t anti-Semitic or this shouldn’t be looked at in that way,” Omar said in the Feb. 19 call, which came after the freshman Minnesota Democrat had said that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee bought lawmakers’ loyalty with campaign contributions.
Those people, purportedly defending her, were not helping, Omar said.
“I do not want to give space or energy to anyone who wants to minimize the hurt,” she said.
The words — and the voice — were Omar’s, and she seemed sincere, said Susskind, a longtime leader of mainstream and progressive Jewish groups. But Susskind knew right away that the tone belonged to Omar’s communications director, Jeremy Slevin.
