As House Republicans continue to struggle with the controversy and shame brought on by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, they’re trying to desperately change the subject by pointing a finger at Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

Attacking Omar in this way, however, has brought swift condemnation from outside TV commentators — and even late-night comedians.

“But I have to say the most vile defense of Greene I saw today came from Republicans on Fox News, which repeatedly tried to equate her with Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, including this comment from Bill Hemmer … Let’s see, one wants Medicare for all and the other thinks a Jewish space laser starts wildfires: Seriously, what’s wrong with you?” late-night host Seth Meyers asked, rhetorically. “There’s no equivalence and any attempt to create one is disgusting and racist.”

Just elected to Congress, Rep Taylor Greene has come under fire for espousing a number of wildly false conspiracy theories, as well as trying to accost both her colleagues as well as David Hogg, an 18-year-old survivor of the Parkland school shooting in Florida.

Among the theories the congresswoman embraces is QAnon and that wealthy Jewish bankers control a laser in space which they use to shoot at California.

She has also had social media posts surface in which she defends the assassination of President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The freshman congresswoman has had the support of former president Donald Trump and his supporters, which has caused a schism as some Republicans want to repudiate Taylor Greene but others appear to not wish to anger the Trump base.

NBC’s Chuck Todd called out the Congressional GOP for their inaction on Marjorie Taylor Greene — particularly as compared to the manner in which they previously dealt with incendiary Congress members like Steve King of Iowa.

On Wednesday, Todd spoke to Republican strategist Brendan Buck on Meet The Press Daily, and he reflected on how King was a “problem” for Buck when he used to work for former Republican House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Todd said, “but I feel like Steve King was a more cooperative problem child compared to what we’re seeing with Marjorie Taylor Greene.”

CNN primetime host Don Lemon also came to the defense of Omar, a Somali refugee who came to the United States in her youth and is now in her second term in Congress after sparking some controversy last year for some of her remarks.

“Hmm. Look, I — remember that happened with Ilhan Omar, Republicans were outraged, she had to apologize? Marjorie Taylor Greene has not apologized. Marjorie Taylor Greene endorsed executing Democrats. Executing them. None of those Democrats have ever said anything remotely like that. So what happened to judging people on their own merits? Huh? Whataboutism. Stop the whataboutism. Know what, when I mentioned to [co-host] Chris [Cuomo] just moments ago about there are firebrands in both parties, no one is talking about stripping Mo Brooks of his committees or Matt Gaetz,” Lemon said, referring to two stridently pro-Trump congressmen. “Why are you bringing up Maxine Waters? It’s because you don’t want to focus on your own mess. You don’t want to clean up your own house. Literally. An existential crisis of your own making.

“This whataboutism is just a lie and it’s not deserving of the American people’s attention. The American people deserve better right now,” Lemon added. “We’re in the middle of a pandemic. People are dying. The economy is in the tank. But whataboutism. Is that really what you want to do? It’s dangerous. It was just one month ago a mob, incited by the former president’s lies, attacked the Capitol. This is a time when the QTrumplican Party needs to stands up for the truth.”

Former Republican congressman and co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough, spoke directly into the camera to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and made it a matter of McCarthy’s leadership.

“Kevin, this is not hard. This is not hard. You’re standing at the abyss and you’re looking over the cliff, and there is no future for you and there is no future for your party if there is a future for someone calling for the assassination of top constitutional officers in the United States government,” Scarborough said. “There is no future. No future for you. Unless you move quickly.

“And Mika, that’s something The Wall Street Journal editorial page, something that Mitch McConnell, that’s something that John Thune, that’s something that other Republicans, other conservatives understand,” Scarborough added, turning to address co-host Mika Brzezinski.

Content from The Bipartisan Press. All Rights Reserved.