Rep. Ilhan Omar says Republican base is 'becoming the looney tunes'

On All In With Chris Hayes Wednesday night, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) gave her thoughts on the current state of the Republican Party and its base. Omar’s comments came after past statements made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, statements in which she made inflammatory remarks about 9/11, school shootings, violence against top Democrats and California wildfires being caused by a secret Jewish space laser. Democrats have called for disciplinary action to be taken against Greene, but House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has declined to do so. In fact, Greene reportedly received a standing ovation after speaking at a closed-door meeting among House Republicans on Wednesday.

“The Republicans truly have lost their way. Their party is destroyed. Their base now is conspiracy theorists. It's cowards, it’s opportunists, it’s grifters and sadly they're becoming the looney tunes,” Omar said. “These are people who we can’t take serious [sic]. They’re not here to do the people’s business. They are here to just be obstructionists and make a mockery of not just our government, but our country.”

Greene’s comments have garnered condemnation among prominent Republicans, but Omar believes that’s just scratching the surface as the GOP’s ills run much deeper in her view.

“It is going to be a long road because these are the children that are born out of a white supremacist movement that is taking over the base of the Republican party,” Omar said. “And we have to wait and see if they are willing to do the hard work of dealing with this awful, toxic, really deadly, white supremacist, fascist America that they have unearthed.”

Video Transcript

ILHAN OMAR: Their party is destroyed. Their base now is conspiracy theorists. It's cowards. It's opportunists. It's grifters. And sadly, they're becoming the Looney Tunes.

KYLIE MAR: Democratic representative Ilhan Omar joined "All In" with Chris Hayes Wednesday, where she weighed in on the current state of the Republican Party after past statements made by representative Marjorie Taylor Greene recently emerged. In the past, Greene has made inflammatory statements about 9/11 and school shootings and said that California wildfires were started by a space laser controlled by Jews. While Greene is currently being celebrated among much of the House GOP, Omar believes it would be wise to take things in the other direction.

ILHAN OMAR: They can decide not to turn the key over-- the key of their party over to this conspiracy theorist, white supremacist, violent, and dangerous member of Congress. They can hold her accountable.

KYLIE MAR: While Greene's past comments have garnered condemnation from some Republicans, Omar believes that's just scratching the surface.

ILHAN OMAR: It is going to be a long road because, you know, these are the children that are born out of a white supremacist movement that has taken over the base of the Republican Party.

KYLIE MAR: And given that some Republican voters feel comfortable displaying racist and anti-Semitic symbolism in public, Omar wonders if GOP leadership will do what it takes to rid the party of such ideology.

ILHAN OMAR: Wait and see if they are willing to do the hard work of dealing with this awful, toxic, really deadly white supremacist, fascist America that they have unearthed.