CNN host Abby Phillip grilled George Latimer over comments that were accused of being “Islamophobic” on Tuesday after he defeated Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) within the Democratic main for New York’s 16th Congressional District.

Chatting with Latimer following his victory over Bowman on Tuesday night, Phillip referred to, “That is, as we’ve been saying, the most costly House main within the historical past of this u . s .. $25 million poured into this New York district, more than $14 million from AIPAC.”

She then asked, “What do you say to some of your elements who’re excited about that roughly money pouring into politics in this approach?”

“Neatly, the very first thing I can say, Abby, is I’ve been in public administrative center for 35 years. I’ve held numerous positions,” responded Latimer, who was once counseled by using AIPAC, Professional-Israel The us, and Democratic Majority For Israel. “I’ve by no means as soon as changed a position in keeping with a marketing campaign donation, ever. No one’s ever accused me of that.”

He insisted, “I understand the national debate [on Israel and Palestine], however I believe on this district, the national debate was secondary to the native discussion of who may easiest signify this district on home concerns.”

Phillip then played the controversial clip of Latimer telling Bowman, “Your constituency is Dearborn, Michigan. Your constituency is San Francisco, California. It’s now not Harrison. It’s no longer Tuckahoe.”

Latimer’s remarks had been accused by using Bowman and others of being “racist” and “Islamophobic” as a result of Dearborn’s excessive inhabitants of Muslims and immigrants from the Middle East.

“So there in that clip, you’re critiquing Jamaal Bowman for getting money from outside of the district from Dearborn, Michigan,” said Phillip. “That was considered as, through Bowman, an Islamophobic dog whistle. Could you simply tackle that, and also deal with how one can make that critique while also receiving cash from outside of the district as smartly?”

Latimer claimed:

What I stated was referring to where he had raised cash from. It’s no longer a dog whistle of anything. He had a major fundraiser in California. He raised more money in California in the ultimate file than he comprised of New York. So it wasn’t a dog whistle about California, and as far as Dearborn, Michigan is worried, Representative Tlaib and the incumbent formed a joint fundraising committee on February 14th. She attracts her money from her district and she’s based totally in Dearborn, Michigan. It’s a geographic reference, not a demographic reference.

He concluded, “Now, I take into account that so as to check out to improve his candidacy, the incumbent tried to show it into one thing that it wasn’t, but the final analysis is, it’s clear that he raised cash more in proportion outside the district from a nationwide network of donors that incorporated individuals from these locations and others. That’s a truth.”

Watch above by the use of CNN.

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