This columnist highlights the ridiculous double standard in the treatment of Steve King and Ilhan Omar

Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar and Iowa Republican Steve King are both serving in the House of Representatives, and both of them have been receiving widespread criticism for controversial remarks denounced as bigoted. But in a new op-ed, the Washington Post’s Eugene Scott notes how differently the two of them have responded to criticism—and how differently President Donald Trump has responded to the controversies.

The controversy with Omar erupted after she lambasted the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Twitter, claiming that the organization was paying members of Congress to support the Israeli government. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi denounced Omar’s rhetoric as anti-Semitic, stressing that she should apologize immediately — which Omar did.

The far-right King, as Scott points out, came under fire recently for telling the New York Times, “White nationalist, white supremacist, western civilization—how did that language become offensive?” And the Washington Post writer argues that while Omar apologized, King “refused to apologize” and “painted the outrage against him as a political witch hunt.”

Scott writes, “Omar’s apology—and King’s defiance—might reflect the mood of Democratic and Republican voters. Democrats want leaders who take discrimination seriously. The Republican base is looking for leaders who push back against ‘political correctness.’”

Trump has been highly critical of Omar’s apology, attacking it as “lame” and calling for her to resign from Congress or at least be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And Scott calls Trump out for being so hard on Omar while giving King a pass.

Trump’s “response to Omar was much different,” Scott asserts. “He responded to the controversy promptly and from the Oval Office.” But with King’s controversial “white nationalist” comments, Scott notes, Trump “told journalists he hadn’t followed the King story.” And Scott finds that odd given that the president is a “regular consumer of cable news.”

Scott concludes his op-ed by stressing that Trump has “more or less a double standard” when it comes to Omar and King.

“Despite an absence of showing repentance personally for disrespecting historically marginalized groups, Trump demands such from his political opponents,” Scott emphasizes. “And this approach—more or less a double standard—among other things is not likely to change, as it has won him significant support from Republicans. And especially those in his base.”