Things got tense in the halls of Congress on Wednesday, April 10, when Fox New Channel reporter Hillary Vaughn confronted Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, over an event that took place in her district on International Al-Quds day in which anti-America, anti-Israel protesters chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
As background, the horrific rhetoric occurred when Dearborn, MI activist Tarek Bazzui called on the crowd to pray for “the victory of the resistance” and referred to “the resistance fighters [who] engage in battle with this godless, satanic cancer that is called Israel.” Continuing, he said, “the chant, ‘death to Israel,’ has become the most logical chant shouted across the world today.” He then called on the crowd to “turn back to the real Islam…That Islam that taught the resistance to prepare whatever strength and whatever weaponry it can in order to confront and to deter the enemies of Allah.” The crowd of hundreds then began chanting, in Arabic, “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.”
That chant was one that the Biden Administration condemned in a press conference, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying, “We’ve been very vigi- — vigilant about — or very consistent about denouncing that type of — that type of rhetoric.” KJP did, however, refuse to say whether the Biden Administration would release a full statement condemning the incident.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, however, did not condemn the rhetoric when confronted by FNC’s Hillary Vaughn in Congress. That came on Wednesday, April 10, when Vaughn chased Rep. Tlaib down the halls of Congress to question her about the incident and try to draw a condemnation out of her.
Chasing her down the halls of Congress, Vaugh eventually managed to corner Rep. Tlaib at an elevator. She asked, “At a rally in your district people were chanting ‘Death to America,’ do you condemn…” Rep. Tlaib cut her off and refused to answer, shouting, “I don’t talk to Fox News!”
Vaughn doubled down on asking the question, which clearly perturbed Rep. Tlaib, who was waving her arms and shouted that she refused to answer the questions of a network that perpetuated “racist tropes.” During that confrontation, Vaughn, undeterred, asked, “Why can’t you just say you condemn people chanting ‘Death to America?’ Why are you afraid to talk to Fox?”
Rep. Tlaib snapped, “Using racist tropes toward my community is what Fox News is about.” She continued, yelling about “Islamophobia” but refusing to condemn the “death to America” chants, “You guys know exactly what you do, and I know you’re Islamophobia but you guys gotta go deal with that on your own self. You’re not gonna use me.”
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Watch the incident here:
Rep. Tlaib, posting about Palestine and the holiday of Ramadan on her official X account on April 10, wrote, “This Eid al-Fitr, as we end the holy month of Ramadan, our hearts are with the Palestinians in Gaza experiencing starvation and ethnic cleansing. Palestinian children are celebrating Eid on top of the rubble of their homes, schools, and masjids.”