Illinois Republicans are in damage control mode Monday after a Facebook post from one of their pages went viral over the weekend, showing the four Democratic lawmakers who make up the ‘squad’ as members of ‘The Jihad Squad.’
Party leaders have launched an investigation of how the post appeared on the Illinois Republican County Chairmen’s Association Facebook page on Friday night.
It showed Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley in what appeared to be edited images of the congresswomen, all of whom are racial minorities.
The post was deleted from the Illinois Republican County Chairmen’s Association’s Facebook page but several people captured the image and posted it on social media
It showed what appeared to be edited images of the ‘squad’: Representatives Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
The four women are featured in a movie-poster style mockup, with their names written across the top as if in starring roles and ‘The JIHAD SQUAD’ as the title.
In the post, a smiling Pressley is aiming a gun, Tlabi is screaming, Ocasio-Cortez is wearing a one-shouldered, red dress grinning broadly, and Omar is towering above the three wearing her hijab, making a kissing face, with a rifle visible behind her.
‘Political jihad is their game,’ the Facebook post said, according to the Chicago Tribune. ‘If you don’t agree with their socialist ideology, you’re racist.’
It also displayed the logo of the association.
The party deleted the post from its page – which echos criticism made by President Donald Trump against the four women – but it still exists on social media.
Mark Shaw, President of the Republican County Chairmen’s Association of Illinois, condemned the image and said he was sorry if anyone was ‘offended’ but he also struck out at the lawmakers, calling them ‘socialist members’ of Congress who he disagreed with.
‘A couple of days ago, an image which was not authorized by me was posted on the Facebook page of the Illinois Republican County Chairmen’s Association (“RCCA”). I condemn this unauthorized posting and it has been deleted. I am sorry if anyone who saw the image was offended by the contents,’ he wrote in a post Sunday evening.
‘This unauthorized posting is an unfortunate distraction from the serious debate surrounding the policies advocated by these four socialist members of the United States House of Representatives of which I strongly disagree. Republican opposition to their proposed “Green New Deal”, elimination of all private health insurance, open borders and anti-Semitic posturing has nothing to do with these Representative’s races or religion,’ he added.
He said the party was investigating how the image was posted.
‘The RCCA has a multi-stage, approval process for all social media posts on any of the RCCA’s social media properties. Nevertheless, the RCCA’s internal review process is being re-evaluated to insure that any content posted in the future represents the “big-tent” nature of the Republican Party,’ he said.
His statement came after Republicans and Democrats alike in the state condemned the image.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider denounced the post.
The posting echoed criticism President Donald Trump has made of the ‘squad’
Mark Shaw, President of the Republican County Chairmen’s Association of Illinois, condemned the image
‘The recent social media post coming from the IRCCA does not reflect my values or the Illinois Republican Party’s values,’ Schneider said in a statement. ‘My intense disagreement with the socialist policies and anti-Semitic language of these four congresswoman has absolutely nothing to do with their race or religion. I urge everyone who opposes them to keep the rhetoric focused on policy and ideology.’
And Sean Morrison, chairman of the Cook County Republican Party, said he was ‘appalled’ by the post.
‘There are civil ways to express political differences that do not involve going to racist extremes,’ Morrison said. ‘The Illinois Republican County Chairman’s Association’s post only serves to further the hateful divide within our country, when we should instead strive for an intelligent, civil and thoughtful discussion of the philosophical differences between Republicans and Democrats.’
Trump renewed his attacks on the ‘squad’ on Sunday, saying he doesn’t believe they are capable of loving the United States.
‘I don’t believe the four Congresswomen are capable of loving our Country. They should apologize to America (and Israel) for the horrible (hateful) things they have said. They are destroying the Democrat Party, but are weak & insecure people who can never destroy our great Nation!,’ he wrote on Twitter.
His comments could mean a second week of the controversy, which began last Sunday when he called on the four lawmakers to go ‘back where they came from.’
Except for Omar, who was born in Somalia and became an American citizen, the women were born in the United States.
The scandal grew as Democrats defended their lawmakers and even some Republican expressed discomfort with the president’s personal attack, suggesting he stick to policy disagreements.
The Democrats passed a resolution condemning Trump’s language as ‘racist’ and, at a campaign rally on Wednesday, supporters yelled ‘send her back’ when the president hit out at Omar.
Trump defended his supporters as ‘patriots.’