NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 14: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley listens during a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting concerning the situation in Syria, at United Nations headquarters, April 14, 2018 in New York City.  Yesterday the United States and European allies Britain and France launched airstrikes in Syria as punishment for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's suspected role in last week's chemical weapons attacks that killed upwards of 40 people. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Haley says Democrats are mourning Soleimani
01:38 - Source: CNN
Washington CNN  — 

The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday accused Democrats of being “in love with terrorists,” claiming, without evidence, the party’s members mourn the recent death of Iran’s top military general more than they do fallen US service members.

The remarks from Georgia Rep. Doug Collins came during an interview with Fox News’ Lou Dobbs in which the congressman was asked about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement earlier that day that the chamber will take up legislation on Thursday to restrain President Donald Trump’s military actions amid hostilities with Iran. The vote comes a week after a US drone strike killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and sharply escalated tensions between the longtime adversaries.

Although the congressional reaction to Trump’s actions toward Iran in the past week has largely fallen along partisan lines, Collins’ remarks were especially remarkable. No congressional Democrat has mourned Soleimani, whom US officials have blamed for the deaths of hundreds of Americans.

“Nancy Pelosi does it again and her Democrats fall right in line,” Collins said. “One, they are in love with terrorists – we see that. They mourn Soleimani more than they mourn our Gold Star families who are the ones who suffered under Soleimani. That’s a problem.”

Responding on Thursday to Collins’ remarks, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who is a veteran of the Iraq War, told Brianna Keilar on “CNN Right Now” she was “disgusted” by them.

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response. I left parts of my body in Iraq fighting terrorists,” said Duckworth, who lost both of her legs in an explosion in Iraq. “I don’t need to justify myself to anyone.”

Collins’ comments also drew rebuke on social media, including from Eric Columbus, a former senior official in the Obama Justice Department who pointed out that the congressman supports the President despite the fact that in 2016, Trump sparred with Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son died in Iraq in 2004, in a contentious back-and-forth.

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley made similar claims during a Fox News interview on Monday, arguing that Democrats alone were mourning the late Iranian general.

“The only ones that are mourning the loss of Soleimani are our Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates,” she said.

Responding to the former ambassador’s comments, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” that the claim was “absolutely ridiculous.”

“It’s unfortunate that (Haley) would choose to use those kind of words” in regard to Democrats, he said Tuesday.

The resolution being considered by the House comes after Iran earlier this week fired a number of missiles aimed at nearby US bases in retaliation for the strike that killed Soleimani. Earlier Wednesday, Trump signaled a de-escalation of tensions with the country, saying at the White House that the country “appears to be standing down” following the missile strikes.