Tag: Lauren Underwood

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Lauren Underwood Refuses To Comment On Ilhan Omar’s Anti-Semitism: “I don’t have a comment on that”

NPR asked Underwood four times if she has anything to say about Omar’s comments, but Underwood refused to respond

“Lauren Underwood’s refusal to say anything about Ilhan Omar’s blatant anti-Semitism is shameful, encourages further anti-Semitic rhetoric, and gives cover to extremists who oppose the State of Israel. Underwood’s unwillingness to specifically condemn acts of anti-Semitism should greatly concern her constituents. It’s clear that Underwood would rather cater to the young radicals in the Democratic Party than the people of the 14th District.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

 

For the most part, Democratic members of Congress have decided to give a pass to Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s well-known use of anti-Semitic rhetoric. Omar recently accused Americans who support Israel of having a dual allegiance, putting the concerns of Israel above America’s.

One of those Democratic members is Lauren Underwood, who represents Illinois’ 14th Congressional District. Underwood has refused to say anything about Omar’s comments, let alone specifically condemn them.

From Underwood’s recent interview with NPR:

INSKEEP: This lawmaker, who carefully considers what to say, chose to say very little about another lawmaker’s choice of words. The day we met Lauren Underwood was the day last week when the House voted to criticize anti-Semitism. The resolution answered remarks by Underwood’s fellow freshman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. That issue divided Democrats, and Underwood was determined not to give it any more fuel.

Did she go too far?

UNDERWOOD: I don’t have a comment on that.

INSKEEP: You don’t?

UNDERWOOD: I don’t.

INSKEEP: You’ve been pretty frank on every other issue. What makes…

UNDERWOOD: That’s why I’m being frank on this one.

INSKEEP: Then why – what do – you mean you don’t know what to think about it? Or…

UNDERWOOD: I said I don’t have a comment on it.

Unlike Underwood, some other Democrats were quick to condemn Omar’s remarks. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel penned an op-ed in The Atlantic, saying:

But Omar is crossing a line that should not be crossed in political discourse. Her remarks are not anti-Israel; they are anti-Semitic.

Whether consciously or not, Representative Omar is repeating some of the ugliest stereotypes about Jews—tropes that have been unleashed by anti-Semites throughout history. She is casting Jewish Americans as the other, suggesting a dual loyalty that calls our devotion to America into question.

And here’s what the Boston Herald Editorial Board wrote in their editorial, titled, Democrats give anti-Semitism safe harbor:

It is remarkable that we find ourselves in a situation where the new faces of the Democrats in Congress speak freely in extremist terms and the rest of the party’s power structure is afraid to tamp it down in any real way. We must call on elected leaders to condemn hateful rhetoric rather than attempt to curry favor with a freshman congressman from the Bronx.

This wasn’t Rep. Omar’s first use of anti-Semitic tropes. In the past, Omar has said:

  • “It’s all about the Benjamins” for lawmakers who support Israel, implying that advocacy groups like AIPAC buy support with campaign contributions
  • Israel is “evil” and they’ve “hypnotized” the world

But none of that apparently bothers Lauren Underwood.

Underwood’s refusal to say anything about Ilhan Omar’s blatant anti-Semitism is shameful, encourages further anti-Semitic rhetoric, and gives cover to extremists who oppose the State of Israel. Underwood’s unwillingness to specifically condemn acts of anti-Semitism should greatly concern her constituents. It’s clear that Underwood would rather cater to the young radicals in the Democratic Party than the people of the 14th District.

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Underwood, Casten, Bustos, and other Illinois Democrats Vote To Publicly Finance Political Campaigns, Federalize Elections

Underwood, Casten, and Bustos together would receive over $17 million in public funds for their Congressional campaigns if they opted-in the program

 

“H.R. 1 is nothing more than an unconstitutional, political power grab by Democrats in Washington. Voters and taxpayers across Illinois need to know that their Democratic members of Congress want to force them to publicly fund and subsidize political speech they might disagree with. Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten, and Cheri Bustos together would receive over $17 million in public funds if they opted-in the program they voted for. That’s wrong. The Federal government has no business funding political campaigns with scarce public resources.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

 

Last Friday, Congresswomen Lauren Underwood and Cheri Bustos, Congressman Sean Casten, and other Illinois Democrats voted for legislation that would publicly finance political campaigns and federalize many election administration regulations currently handled by state and local governments.

One major aspect of the legislation would create a 6-to-1 government match on small-donor campaign contributions for candidates who qualify and choose to opt-in to the program. For every $200 contribution, the federal government will pay $1,200 in public funds to a congressional or presidential campaign. Here’s how much public funding a few Illinois Democrats would receive based on small-dollar contributions they received during last year’s election:

  • Cheri Bustos (IL-17) – $3,017,262 in public funds for her campaign
    • During the last election cycle, Bustos received $502,877 in contributions totaling $200 or less
  • Lauren Underwood (IL-14) – $7,279,224 in public funds for her campaign
    • During the last election cycle, Underwood received $1,213,204 in contributions totaling $200 or less
  • Sean Casten (IL-06) – $7,124,862 in public funds for his campaign
    • During the last election cycle, Casten received $1,187,477 in contributions totaling $200 or less

Congressman Rodney Davis, the Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, issued a statement outlining the top ten most egregious provisions of H.R. 1 prior to the legislation’s passage:

  1. Creates a 6:1 government match to any small donor contributions of $200 or less in a congressional or presidential campaign, meaning for every $200, the federal government will match $1,200.
  2. Creates a new voucher pilot program that grants eligible voters a $25 voucher to donate to any campaign of their choosing.
  3. Weaponizes the Federal Election Commission by altering the current bipartisan makeup of a six-member commission to a partisan five-member commission which will limit free speech and make partisan decisions about election communications.
  4. Weakens the voting system of the American people by increasing the election system’s vulnerability and failing to implement the necessary checks and balances regarding who is registering to vote. H.R. 1 will force states to allow online voter registration, automatic voter registration, and same-day voter registration with no safeguards.
  5. Raises constitutional concerns under the First Amendment by proposing to limit free speech and imposing vague standards that disadvantage all groups who wish to advocate on behalf of any legislative issue.
  6. Diminishes the process of Election Day voting by expanding “no excuse” absentee voting and allowing for any eligible voter to be able to cast their ballot by mail with no additional safeguards to this process.
  7. Disregards state voter identification laws by allowing sworn statements to be used in place of identification and allowing for signature verification, which can be submitted through a photo if the voter registers online.
  8. Does not provide states adequate enforcement mechanisms to guard against fraud.
  9. Impedes states’ ability to determine their registration and voting practices, as protected under Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution and violates separation of powers by Congress mandating ethics standards for the Supreme Court. H.R. 1 is a constitutional overreach.
  10. Forces states to count provisional ballots cast outside of the voter’s correct precinct which will inevitably result in the election of candidates at the state and local level by non-qualified residents.

Even the left-leaning ACLU has stated H.R. 1 “would unconstitutionally infringe on the speech and associational rights of many public interest organizations and American citizens.”

H.R. 1 is nothing more than an unconstitutional, political power grab by Democrats in Washington. Voters and taxpayers across Illinois should remember that the Democratic members of Congress want to force them to publicly fund and subsidize political speech they might disagree with. That is wrong.

Elections are best administered by state and local governments – as close to the people as possible. The Federal government has no business funding political campaigns with scarce public resources.

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Underwood & Casten Missing from Freshman-led Letter Urging Pelosi Work To End Government Shutdown

“Speaker Nancy Pelosi controls the House, and it’s her duty to show up and negotiate with the Republican-controlled Senate and President Trump. But Pelosi has refused to even consider a compromise to end the partial government shutdown, and Congresswoman Underwood, Congressman Casten, and other Illinois Democrats have enabled her with their silence. It’s time for Underwood, Casten, and others to stop playing political games and join their Democratic colleagues in standing up to Speaker Pelosi. If they do, this partial shutdown would be over, Dreamers would be protected, and we would have stronger border security.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

A letter, sent yesterday by freshman Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D-Va.), encouraged Speaker Nancy Pelosi to compromise with President Trump, protect Dreamers, and initiate a process to enact increased border security measures. Thirty Congressional Democrats wrote, “We promised our constituents that we would seek bipartisan solutions, and we feel that this proposal would gain bipartisan support and allow a transparent process to evaluate the true needs of border security and provide much-needed reform to our immigration system.”

Illinois Congressmen Dan Lipinski and Brad Schneider even signed onto a similar letter urging Pelosi to make a deal. Neither freshman Congresswoman Lauren Underwood nor Congressman Sean Casten signed onto either letter.

Additionally, neither Underwood nor Casten joined some of their freshman Democratic colleagues in voting to immediately pay federal workers while a deal is negotiated. Instead, they voted against all three motions to pay federal workers while the government is shutdown. If eight of Illinois’ thirteen Democratic members supported the motion, the effort to pay federal workers potentially could’ve been enacted into law.

Voters in IL-14 and IL-06 deserve better than Pelosi pawns currently representing them in Congress.

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