Who Is Ilhan Omar? Minnesota Congresswoman Draws Criticism For Israel Tweets

Very few new members of Congress have stood out like Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

As one of the first Muslim women ever appointed to office, the 37-year-old has attracted notice for her outspoken and unabashed criticism of the Trump administration's anti-immigration policies and her advocacy of Medicare for all.

Omar, however, found herself embroiled in controversy Sunday after a Twitter posting critical of Israel garnered condemnation from both sides of the aisle.

Omar suggested in a Twitter comment that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., supported Israel because of campaign donations.

"It’s all about the Benjamins baby," she wrote and added a musical note emoji.

When asked on Twitter to explain her comments and to answer who is paying American politicians, Omar responded: "AIPAC," the abbreviation for American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential lobbying group.

Omar on Monday would "unequivocally apologize" for the comment.

Many were quick to chastise Omar for her comments, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive," Pelosi said Monday in an official statement.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida posted on Twitter that Omar seemed to be promoting an anti-Semitic conspiracy and stereotype.

Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, the youngest of seven siblings. She and her family fled the country's civil war in 1991. After spending four years at a refugee camp in Kenya, Omar later settled in Arlington, Virginia, before moving to Minneapolis, where she learned English.

She graduated from North Dakota State in 2011 with degrees in political science and international studies. Omar would later serve as a community nutrition educator, as well as a campaign manager for a Minnesota state senate candidate.

Omar successfully ran for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016 and later successfully won the U.S. House seat of prominent Democrat Keith Ellison, who did not seek re-election. She easily held off Republican challenger Jennifer Zielinski, winning Minnesota's 5th congressional district with 78 percent of the vote.

Omar is a Muslim and became the first woman to wear a hijab on the House floor.