House Declines Censure Motion Against Rashida Tlaib Over Remarks on Israel

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Late on Wednesday, the House dismissed an initiative to censure Democrat Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, thwarting a Republican-driven move to reprimand the sole Palestinian-American Congress member for her statements concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The proposal to proceed with a censure motion against Tlaib, a disciplinary action just shy of expulsion from the House, was broadly rejected with bipartisan consensus, as members from both sides voiced apprehension over potential infringements on First Amendment rights.

Subsequently, Democrats decided against a countermove to censure Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who had spearheaded the resolution against Tlaib.

These proposed votes emerged as some of the primary items on the House’s agenda after a nearly month-long deadlock, which resulted from the ousting of Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California from his role as speaker.

The increasing frequency of punitive actions in the House signals a deepening partisan divide. Historically, such severe measures were reserved for extreme violations and were seldom exercised. But their present-day usage reflects a more regular and often partisan approach. While a censure carries no tangible consequences, it historically tarnishes the reputation of the recipient.

Last week, Greene tabled a resolution to censure Tlaib, one of Congress’s two Muslim members. The document accused Tlaib of “antisemitic activities” subsequent to her expressing reservations about the U.S.’s role in arming Israel amidst its clash with Hamas, following a sudden attack by Hamas on October 7.

Moreover, Greene incorrectly alleged that Tlaib had “led an insurrection” at the Capitol while attending a pro-Gaza demonstration coordinated by Jewish pro-peace groups.

Tlaib characterized Greene’s motion as “irrational,” claiming it bore strong Islamophobic undertones and wrongfully targeted peace-seeking Jewish anti-war proponents.

In reaction to Greene’s motion, House Democrats, under the guidance of Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont, put forth a resolution censuring Greene for her history of racially charged comments and propagation of conspiracy theories. Balint contended that Greene’s bid to censure Tlaib was a blatant Islamophobic assault on Congress’s only Palestinian-American representative.

While Greene remained silent on the motion to censure her, she did reproach the multitude of Republicans who opposed advancing the Tlaib resolution.

The Wednesday evening vote marked the House’s resumption of routine legislative proceedings after a hiatus due to McCarthy’s unexpected removal on October 4. This interruption halted floor-based legislative tasks as Republicans grappled over his potential successor.

With Speaker Mike Johnson now presiding over the House, having been elected to the pivotal position the previous week, he is confronted with the recurring challenge that plagued McCarthy: managing events on the House floor.

Both censure motions were designated as “privileged,” allowing legislators to circumvent both leadership and committees to mandate House votes. The use of such privileged resolutions is becoming more common among representatives.

In a related matter, New York Republicans are preparing to initiate a distinct vote to decide on the expulsion of Rep. George Santos, who, despite facing multiple federal charges and maintaining his innocence, remains under indictment.

Had the motions been successful, both Greene and Tlaib would have been inducted into an expanding list of censured representatives in recent decades.

In the past, punitive actions have targeted members such as Democrat Adam Schiff of California, who was censured by Republicans in June for remarks about investigations into former President Donald Trump’s alleged affiliations with Russia. Similarly, in a Democrat-led House, Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona faced censure in 2021 for a controversial animated video, and in 2010, Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York was reprimanded for serious financial and electoral violations.

It’s worth noting that the House has also been proactive in sanctioning members by removing them from committee roles. For instance, earlier this year, the House deprived Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, the other Muslim Congress member, of her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee due to comments she made about Israel. Similarly, in 2021, Democrats oversaw the removal of all committee assignments from Greene, citing her endorsement of harmful and violent conspiracy narratives.

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More about fokus keyword: censure

• [House Proceedings on Censure Motions]
• [Rashida Tlaib’s Statements on Israel-Hamas Conflict]
• [Background on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Initiatives]
• [Details on Kevin McCarthy’s Removal as Speaker]
• [Profile on Speaker Mike Johnson]
• [Understanding “Privileged” Resolutions in Congress]
• [Historical Instances of House Censure Actions]
• [Committee Roles and Penalties in Congress]
• [Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Committee Assignment Removal]
• [Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Previous Controversies]