AOC Didn’t Block Resolution Condemning Anti-Semitism
The Claim
Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez blocked a resolution that would condemn anti-semitism.
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Emerging story
In January 2021, AOC posted on Twitter that the Capitol rioters had a strong Neo-Nazi presence.
Senator Ted Cruz replied that AOC and her “anti-Israel pals blocked a resolution condemning anti-Semitism — which I passed unanimously in the Senate.”
Since then, claims of AOC blocking the bill or espousing anti-semitic beliefs took off on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found that the claim can be linked back to March 2019, when Representative Ilhan Omar made a comment about the U.S. having “allegiance” to Israel. She said: “So for me, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country. And I want to ask, why is it okay for me to talk about the influence of the NRA, of fossil fuel industries, or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobby?”
Following the panel at which Omar made these remarks, House Democrats drafted Resolution 183, which condemned anti-semitism. Some, including AOC, said that the bill was too focused on anti-semitism, and should be about intersectional forms of prejudice and bigotry including anti-Latinxness, homophobia, anti-blackness, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. Because of this, the resolution was rewritten more broadly, while still retaining a strong focus on condemning anti-semitism.
AOC voted in favor of the revised resolution, which passed in the House 407-23.
Following the House vote, Cruz and Senator Tim Kaine sponsored a bill, Senate Resolution 189, that sought to condemn “all forms of anti-semitism.” The bill was passed unanimously.
Since AOC voted to pass a resolution condemning anti-semitism along with other forms of bigotry, Cruz’s claim that she blocked a House resolution while he voted for a Senate resolution on the topic is incorrect. AOC did ask to broaden the resolution, but she did not block it, and in fact voted in favor of it.
