Sen. Rand Paul has joined in the criticism of Somalia-born House Rep. Ilhan Omar, and said that she deserves to be rebuked for criticizing the United States, which took her in as a refugee in 1992.
Paul, of Kentucky, said that he is “dumbfounded” by the Minnesota congresswoman’s “angry story.”
Speaking back home to Wave 3 News, Paul said, “She has this bitterness and anger toward the country,” adding, “I think she does deserve a rebuke over trying to say we have a rotten country.”
In joining President Trump in criticizing the Mogadishu-born freshman lawmaker, Paul said “I’m sort of dumbfounded how unappreciative she is of our country.”
Paul, both an ally and sometime critic of Trump, added, “She says this is terrible, a place without justice and all this. She’s a congresswoman. She got here as a refugee 20 years ago. She’s elected to Congress. I can’t imagine a better country that elected her to congress and she badmouths our country.”
Trump stirred up controversy over the weekend when tweet-attacked Omar and three other new House Democrats.
Trump tweeted, “So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly…and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how…”
It was directed at Omar, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York , Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Only Omar is foreign born.
Omar has been critical of Trump, U.S. institutions and Israel, often winning rebukes from her own party.
Paul said instead of being angry, Omar should be grateful to the U.S., and he cited another Somali family as an example to follow.
“I know this Somali family that came about the same time [as Omar] to Bowling Green, and it’s just this dramatic story of hope and wonder,” Paul told Wave 3 News “Those are the stories, but it’s not this angry story.”
