House Votes to Censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib after Pro-Palestinian Comments Transcript

In a rare move, the House voting to censure Democratic Congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, over her comments about Israel. Republicans, and some Democrats, calling her remarks on the conflict antisemitic. She’s attempted to justify the chant, “From the river to the sea,” the refrain frequently heard around the world at protests. Historically, it is a Palestinian battle cry, starting from the 1960s, a call to dismantle Israel, and claim the land as Palestinian territory. It’s a line used in Hamas’ charter documents from 2017. Some have said that the meaning is broader now, not violent, including Tlaib, who, prior to the censure vote, vowed not to be silenced.

I will not be silenced, and I will not let you distort my words. My criticism has always been of the Israeli government and Netanyahu’s actions. I can’t believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable. We are human beings.

Let’s bring in White House columnist for the Hill, Niall Stanage. Niall, this is a hotly contested and emotional story. But censure, very serious, very rare, as we talked about. It’s one step away from expulsion. But what consequences will Tlaib face? Or is this just a warning?

It’s a warning and it’s a historical black mark. But there are not really formal consequences to a censure. You’re censured and that’s it. Now, as you say, it is rare. She’s only the 26th member ever of the House to be censured. But it is becoming less rare. Three of those people, including her, have been within the past few years. Paul Gosar, a Republican in Arizona, Adam Schiff, the California Democrat. So it is becoming more frequent to the point where, honestly, I had forgotten the thing with Schiff happened this past June until I was researching this conversation.

Right, it’s just the reminder of what’s happened over the past couple of years. 188 Democrats voting against censure. Did they vote more on the basis of protecting free speech, rather than necessarily agreeing with her?

They did, because Democrats obviously have very deep divisions over this conflict, and how they see the broader context of the conflict. So there were people who spoke up in her defense, saying that they vigorously disagree with her, but they didn’t think that censure should be used to punish someone for a disagreement. And interestingly enough, they got a little bit of support from a handful of Republicans. Four Republicans voted against the censure, another three voted present, declining to take a position. So it was really about that issue of free speech and what should be punished and what shouldn’t.

Well, Democrats, 22 of them, siding with Republicans. However, Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, also from Michigan, voted against censure saying, “If we censured everyone who said something offensive, we would never reach quorum.” This was more than about offense. There are even some Democrats who spoke out saying, “The far left has gone too far.” Are we seeing a course correction with this censure or an overcorrection?

I’m not sure that I would characterize it precisely as either one or the other. I do, of course, take the point that that phrase, “From the river to the sea,” has been criticized as antisemitic by the Anti-Defamation League and others, as you noted in your introduction. Other people say, “No, it’s a broader call for human rights in that part of the Middle East.” I think that these divisions about exactly why the conflict has arisen in the first place are going to continue for a long time. A lot of people foregrounding their hostility toward Israel, from Arab nations and from obviously Hamas, which carried out that horrendous attack. Other people stressing in Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, the way its record has been criticized by human rights organizations. And whatever you think of the politics, just the terrible suffering that the people of Gaza are enduring at the moment, with thousands killed and thousands of bombs.

Right, it’s so true. At the same time, I think a lot of people are saying, “Don’t have a double standard.” You want history to count in some people’s story. It’s important in this particular story as well, especially the origins of that phrase. Really quickly, the congressman who brought this censure vote is now facing threats.

He is. He closed his office in a small town in Georgia temporarily on the basis of threats that he says he has reported to the Capitol Police. This is Congressman Rich McCormick of Georgia. Obviously, another worrying sign, Adrienne. And we have seen so many worrying signs, whether the horrendous killing of that 6-year-old Palestinian American boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume, or the gentleman in California who died at the protest on Monday.

Yes, two incidences of violence and hatred that has gone so far, too far. Niall Stanage, we always love seeing you. Thanks for being here.

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