Rep. Rashida Tlaib says criticism of Rep. Ilhan Omar's 9/11 remarks is just 'racist'

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) defended Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from what she said is "racist" and unfair criticism of the Minnesota freshman lawmaker's recent remarks about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Omar attended a Muslim right's group in March where she said that the 9/11 attacks occurred because "some people did something."

On Thursday, the New York Post ran a scathing cover condemning Omar's attacks, and she also faced criticism from lawmakers and the public. The Post cover showed a devastating photo of the Twin Towers' destruction and wrote, "Here's your something: 2,977 people dead by terrorism."

What did Tlaib say?

Tlaib said that Omar's remarks were taken wildly out of context.

During an MSNBC appearance, Tlaib was asked if Omar should have worded her remarks more carefully.

"They do that all the time, especially women of color, they take our words out of context because they're afraid because we speak truth, we speak truth to power," Tlaib said. "This is just pure racist act."

"My sister, Ilhan Omar, what she was talking about, was uplifting people by supporting their civil liberties and civil rights," Tlaib added. "She has always, always condemned any strategy, especially of a person directly impacted by a refugee herself."

Tlaib said that she was "outraged" by the criticism.

"The fact that people are taking [Omar's] words out of context and endangering the life of Rep. Omar is immoral, it's wrong, and it needs to be called out by many colleagues in saying they need to stop, stop targeting her this way," she insisted. "It's absolutely putting her life in danger."

What did AOC say?

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also weighed in and defended Omar from the criticism.

In a Thursday tweet, Ocasio-Cortez wrote, "I'm not going to quote the NY Post's horrifying, hateful cover. Here's 1 fact. @IlhanMN is a cosponsor of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. She's done more for 9/11 families than the GOP who won't even support healthcare for 1st responders — yet are happy to weaponize her faith."

What else?

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) was one lawmaker in particular who took offense to her remarks.

Omar singled out Crenshaw in a tweet and said that his opinion of her remarks was akin to inciting violence, and said that Crenshaw called her "un-American."

On Twitter, Crenshaw responded in a fiery tweet pointing out her fallacies.

"1. I never called you un-American. 2. I did not incite any violence against you. 3. You described an act of terrorism on American soil that killed thousands of innocent lives as 'some people did something,'" he wrote. "It's still unbelievable, as is your response here."