Greene moves to force vote on Tlaib censure for ‘antisemitic activity’

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) moved to force a vote on censuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) on Thursday, accusing the Michigan Democrat of “antisemitic activity” and “sympathizing with terrorist organizations.”

Greene called the measure to the floor as a privileged resolution Thursday morning, which forces the chamber to take action on the legislation within two legislative days. Leadership can either bring the measure to the floor for a vote or motion to table it, both of which would require majority support. House lawmakers leave Washington on Thursday evening and return Wednesday.

How to handle the censure resolution will be one of the first big questions facing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who was elected to the top job Wednesday following a three-week saga over who would succeed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) following his ouster.

It will likely also pose a test for Democrats, some of whom have criticized Tlaib’s recent remarks.

The three-page resolution lists previous comments from Tlaib — the first woman of Palestinian descent to serve in Congress — pertaining to Israel, Palestine and Jewish people. It includes some comments she made following the surprise attack earlier this month by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, on Israel.

On Oct. 8, one day after the attack by Hamas, Tlaib wrote in a statement that “the path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance,” adding, “the failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer.”

That statement drew criticism from some House Democrats and Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, who wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: “How much more blood needs to be spilled for you to overcome your prejudice and unequivocally condemn Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror organization?”

Greene’s resolution said Tlaib made those comments “instead of denouncing the horrors of Hamas slaughtering Israelis and demanding the release of all hostages held by Hamas.”

Additionally, the resolution accuses Tlaib of “leading an insurrection at the United States Capitol Complex” following a protest in a Capitol office building last week in support of an Israel-Hamas cease-fire. The protest was organized by the organizations Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, and it resulted in several arrests.

Tlaib, however, was not at the rally, according to a source familiar with the matter. She did, however, speak at a rally after the war broke out that called for a cease-fire.

Tlaib said in a statement Thursday that Greene’s “unhinged resolution is deeply Islamophobic and attacks peaceful Jewish anti-war advocates.”

“I am proud to stand in solidarity with Jewish peace advocates calling for a ceasefire and an end to the violence. I will not be bullied, I will not be dehumanized, and I will not be silenced,” she added.