Ilhan Omar to appear with Hasan Piker at Minneapolis event despite Democratic objections

Mixed · 2Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was set to appear on Monday 26 October with streamer and podcaster Hasan Piker at a Minneapolis event hosted by state Sen. Omar Fateh, about eight days before the midterm elections. 1 2 Mixed · 2Hindustan Times says the event is part of a discussion series called "I'm The Host Now", created by two local groups, Baddies 4 Progress and HAUS of C, and that the venue was communicated to attendees privately; Fox News describes it as sold out. 2 1 Right · 1Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., called Piker's rhetoric "polarizing and dangerous" and said embracing him is "a mistake", and Sen. Amy Klobuchar's gubernatorial campaign called a number of his past statements "reckless and unacceptable". 1

Right · 1Fox News reports that other Democratic officials and party groups went further and called on Omar and Fateh to cancel the appearance. 1 Right · 1Omar's campaign defended the appearance, telling FOX 9 that early voting among people under 40 is down, that the Democratic Party is a "Big Tent" party, and that the aim is to mobilize young voters. 1 Right · 1University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs told FOX 9 the event would "create a split within the DFL" and could put candidates in a difficult position with moderate and Jewish voters. 1

Right · 1Piker has been criticised over remarks about the Sept. 11 attacks, Hamas, Israel and Jewish people. Fox News reports that he later apologised for saying in 2019 that "America deserved 9/11" and has rejected accusations of antisemitism, and quotes him saying on "Pod Save America" that he would "vote for Hamas over Israel every single time" and, in August, that continued American Jewish support for Israel could lead someone to "take action" against American Jews. 1 Centre · 1Hindustan Times adds that the Anti-Defamation League has criticised Piker for allegedly using words such as "inbred" and "psychopath" about Jews, and that he has said Hamas is "a thousand times better" than Israel. 2 Centre · 1A Jewish advocacy group, named in the Hindustan Times as the "Jewish American Committee", said Piker "has justified the October 7 attacks and targeted Jews. He should not be platformed", and urged Democratic leaders and candidates to say so: "Silence is a choice." 2

Centre · 1Hindustan Times also places the event against a federal immigration probe: it reports that agents of the Department of Homeland Security raided Omar's residence on 12 October over alleged immigration fraud, that the Department of Justice said it is still reviewing seized evidence without revealing specific allegations, and that the New York Post claimed DNA evidence was collected from the DC home. 2 Right · 1Fox News said it asked Omar's campaign, Fateh and Piker for comment on the criticism and calls to cancel but had not received a response. 1