Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was one of three House Representatives to vote "present" on an Armenia genocide bill, telling CNN that genocide "should not be used as a cudgel in a political fight."
Her explanation drew a rebuke on Twitter: one, for not condemning genocide; and two, for pointing back to abuses against Native Americans and slavery, which have many times been condemned by congressional resolutions, Fox News reported.
Omar defended her statement later after receiving criticism for her choice.
"*Of course* we should acknowledge the Genocide," she tweeted.
"My issue was with the timing and context. I think we should demand accountability for human rights abuses consistently, not simply when it suits our political goals."
But Twitter critics say her explanation rings hollow, because the resolution is the first to recognize the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a century ago, which passed in a huge 405-11 vote.
"A true acknowledgement of historical crimes against humanity must include both the heinous genocides of the 20th century, along with earlier mass slaughters like the transatlantic slave trade and Native American genocide, which took the lives of hundreds of millions of indigenous people in this country," Omar said in the statement per CNN.
"For this reason, I voted 'present' on final passage of H.Res.296, the resolution Affirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide," she added.
The other members voting present were Republican Paul Gosar and Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson.
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