Ilhan Omar: I Was Elected to Be ‘a Check and Balance to the Cruelty’ of Trump

Sunday on MSNBC’s “AM Joy,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) declared she was sent to Congress with her freshman colleagues to “be a check and balance to the cruelty of this administration.”

When asked about the $4.6 billion humanitarian aid package passed last week over the objections of progressives, Omar said, “This is one of the reasons why I think the public is always frustrated with politicians. We were running for office. We said send us into the majority so that we can be a check and balance to the cruelty of this administration. Now we are in the majority we are too busy appeasing this administration.”

“I can see the frustration of the American people who are really disappointed that, again, we have people in power who have forgotten the purpose and the reason they were given that privilege. What I am always surprised every time we’re having a discussion in regards to policy is how people will talk about the political reality, and they won’t talk about the human reality of the policies that we are passing,” he said. “We take an oath, truly, to care for the American people and make sure that we’re furthering policies that are in line with our values. And we often fail short. And I think with the Democratic Party we’re so busy oftentimes trying to appease everyone we end up appeasing no one.”

She added, “I lead with moral clarity and courage, and so for me, it’s easy to make a decision about the particular policies we’re voting on.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN