U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne moved to condemn a Texas imam after he celebrated Lindsey Graham’s death on social media due to Graham’s support for Israel.
Van Duyne (R–Irving) plans to introduce a resolution on Wednesday that would publicly condemn Omar Suleiman. In a social media post, Suleiman wrote, “In other news, Lindsey Graham is dead. Bye Lindsey. May you live an eternity in ruins for the ruins you helped create in Gaza. Ameen,” early on Sunday after the news of Graham’s death was announced.
Van Duyne, who represents the district where Suleiman lives, said Congress must condemn the incendiary comments.
“This type of action from a religious leader that claims to preach about love and not hate needs to be condemned. That was anything but love. That was depravity,” Van Duyne told Fox Digital.
“Is this really what you believe—that you’re going to take a sitting senator who has just died, and you’re going to condemn his soul to an eternity of ruins because you don’t agree with his politics?” she continued.
Suleiman was invited to Capitol Hill to pray over the House of Representatives in 2019 despite a controversial history, including calling for a third intifada, a phrase that historically has represented mass violence against Jews and Israel.
Graham served in Congress for decades and was one of the biggest champions of Israel.
Van Duyne said she is currently talking with leadership about putting the resolution on the floor and hopes Democrats will support it.
“It needs to be condemned by those Democrats who called him to the House floor to preach,” the Texas lawmaker said. “I would love to be able to get Democrats who are on the floor who don’t agree that this is the type of action that a religious leader should take.”
The resolution alleges that Suleiman has defended terrorists in the past and has traveled to Turkey to meet with members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who are banned from traveling to the United States.
“The words are getting more hateful,” Van Duyne said. “The call for violence is getting more dangerous. It has absolutely gone beyond reason. And to have a religious leader that joins in that, that is calling for that, is horrible. And yes, we should be condemning it.”
Van Duyne served as the mayor of Irving before winning election to office. She has long warned the public about the radical spread of Sharia law in the United States.
“There are Republican leaders in Congress who are speaking out against it. Eleven years ago, I felt like I was on my own. They are in my hometown, and they are in cities across the country, and I think what you’re seeing is elected representatives standing up to it,” Van Duyne said.
