Shortly after the House voted along party lines to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (R-MN) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, two Jewish Democrats, Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), urged House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to establish a Select Committee on Combating Antisemitism.

In a letter addressed to the speaker, Moskowitz and Gottheimer highlighted an increase in incidents involving antisemitism, pointing in particular to the emergence of Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, in recent months as a virulent propagator of antisemitism and Holocaust denial, and tying the performer’s comments to recent antisemitic incidents across the country.

“In recent years, we have seen a troubling rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence both at home and abroad. Left unchecked, this hate poses a direct threat not only to the Jewish community but the entirety of our society as it creates division and sows discord,” the letter reads. “We are deeply concerned, as you must be, by the rise in antisemitism and stand ready to help you take action to create a more tolerant society.”

“A Select Committee on Combating Antisemitism would provide a dedicated forum for Members to bring legislative efforts to combat antisemitism to the forefront of the national conversation,” the letter argues.

Amid a series of antisemitic outbursts on social media and podcasts, Ye and far-right provocateur Nick Fuentes met with former President Donald Trump. 

Shortly after the dinner, held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, McCarthy said that “the president can have meetings with who he wants,” but “I don’t think anybody, though, should have a meeting with Nick Fuentes and his views are nowhere within the Republican Party or within this country itself.”

Gottheimer and Moskowitz both voted to keep Omar on the Foreign Affairs Committee. In a statement, Gottheimer cited the Minnesota Democrat’s support for a resolution “recognizing Israel as America’s legitimate and democratic ally and condemning antisemitism.” Moskowitz condemned Omar and said she did not deserve to serve on the committee, but said he opposed the precedent of removing minority party lawmakers from committees.

Such a House committee would follow in the wake of an administration task force dedicated to combating antisemitism and Islamophobia, established following the urging of Jewish groups and lawmakers.