Congressman Tom McClintock On the Censure of Ilhan Omar
Why I Voted Not to Censure Rep. Omar
By Tom McClintock, September 20, 2025 3:00 am
House Floor
September 18, 2025
Mr. Speaker:
Freedom of speech is the beating heart of a democracy. It is the entire reason this building exists – to talk out our differences. Free societies do not fear free speech – even when that speech is hateful, malignant or stupid. Free societies recognize that the only way to separate fact from fiction, love from hate, truth from lies, wisdom from folly or good from evil, is to put them side by side and trust the people to know the difference. No central authority must ever be given the power to take this vital freedom away from the people or to punish anyone solely for expressing their opinions.
We have based our entire form of government on the assumption that when exposed to all sides and all viewpoints, more than half the people are going to get it right more than half the time. This assumption has served us well through the centuries.
The left rejects this premise. For many years, leftists have told us that speech is violence and can be answered with violence. This justifies their shouting down opponents and disrupting peaceful assemblies. We have repeatedly watched leftist mobs burn our cities, loot shopkeepers and assault people on our streets, while leftist politicians egged them on. We see the growing physical attacks on law enforcement. The left used the FBI to suppress debate on critical issues ranging from Covid lockdowns to Biden family influence peddling to climate hysteria. It has called for government commissions to regulate it. In Europe, leftist governments now criminalize it.
I raise these points because a member of this House recently made some truly vile and despicable remarks about Charlie Kirk after his brutal assassination. Her words should be loudly and universally condemned.
On the House floor, a resolution of censure was brought against her in the name of Charlie Kirk to formally punish her for her hateful rhetoric. But what did Charlie Kirk say about hate speech? Five years ago, he said,
“My position is that even hate speech should be completely and fully allowed in our country. The most disgusting speech should absolutely be protected… The ACLU used to hold this viewpoint. The American Civil Liberties Union sued so that (actual) Nazis could march through downtown Skokie…Now why would the ACLU do this? They said, as soon as you used the word ‘hate,’ that is a very subjective term. Because then, all of a sudden, it is in the eyes or is in the implementation of whoever has the power. So here’s my belief: the more speech the better.”
We must never allow the left to become our teachers. If we ever do, we will lose our country. There will be no moral high ground, no changing of minds, no rebirth of faith and freedom that we so desperately need.
Free societies do not fear words and thoughts, even those that are hateful, ugly, evil or obscene – because the same freedom that protects these darkest impulses of our nature also protects the right of men and women of good will to confront them, expose them and reject them.
The only true way to expose them as wrong is to do exactly what Charlie Kirk did until his last breath and with his last breath.
When they call us Nazis and fascists and murderers – this might be hateful and hurtful – but it is speech nonetheless. It should be criticized in the strongest possible terms as irresponsible, outrageous, revolting and wrong. It should be ridiculed and shamed. Businesses have every right to protect their reputations; schools have every right to protect their children. But we should defend their right to say what they will and trust that the vast majority of Americans see it for what it is.
There are only two ways to resolve our differences: there is reason and there is force. The American Founders gave us a Republic governed by reason and illuminated by freedom of speech.
That is the civilization that Charlie Kirk lived for – and died for. He devoted his life, and ultimately GAVE his life — to restore, strengthen and perpetuate a free society based on discourse and reason. What a tragedy it would be if, in our outrage and grief, we were to throw it all away.
- Congressman Tom McClintock On the Censure of Ilhan Omar - September 20, 2025
- The Big, Beautiful Bill and The Democrats’ Big Mistake - July 21, 2025
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Congressman McClintock, A quick check of the records shows that a Congressman William Stanberry was censured for unparliamentary language in 1832. Congress has put mechanisms in place in order to protect its public reputation. When a member is allowed to say outlandish things that cross the line on a regular basis without fear of reprisal it diminishes Congress’s reputation in the public eye. As you mentioned in your floor speech businesses have a right to protect their reputation. Following your logic why would a member of congress be afforded the ability to cross the line in the name of free speech that an employee would not be able to without the fear of reprimand? Free speech comes with the responsibility of moderating oneself. I think of libel. Free speech does not give one the right to defame an individual’s character without consequences. I would encourage you to build and protect congresses reputation and not let it be sullied in the eye of the public by a member that has no regard for the institution as demonstrated by their spoken words and actions.
@Hal. Both Talib and Bowman were censured by the House. Tom McClintock opposed both for the same reason he opposed the Omar censure. So, he is being consistent. It is up to the voters in his district to decide whether his stance on free speech “diminishes Congress’s reputation in the public eye”. I doubt that public opinion of Congress would be improved either way given how low it already is. In your example of Stanbery, this is what his voters did:
“William Stanbery (Anti-Jacksonian-OH) was censured by the U.S. House of Representatives on July 11, 1832 (92–44 vote) for using unparliamentary language during floor debate. Specifically, while criticizing President Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal policy, Stanbery accused House Speaker Andrew Stevenson of being overly focused on presidential ambitions, remarking that Stevenson’s “eye might be too frequently turned from the chair you occupy toward the White House.” This was deemed an improper personal attack on the Speaker, violating House decorum.
This incident was part of a broader controversy: Earlier that month, on April 13, 1832, Stanbery accused Sam Houston (a Jackson ally and former Tennessee governor) of defrauding Cherokee Indians in a rations scandal tied to the policy, prompting Houston to assault Stanbery with a cane on Pennsylvania Avenue. Houston was reprimanded but not censured; Stanbery’s later remark led to his formal rebuke as the first-ever House censure. He lost renomination later that year and returned to practicing law in Ohio.” – GROK
well put
Concerning ourselves with McClintock now is moronic and a play into the hands of our factual enemies.
The stories regarding the circumstances of Kirk’s murder being fed us are lies: Thus and therefore should not the questions be who are the who’s and what are the what’s that facilitated the subject murder?
McClaintock and IllIlhan Omar not the issues that should be consuming us and an example of why we’ve lost California and America- you’re being played.
It’s McClintock not McClaintock, and it’s Ilhan not IllIlhan.
RINOs like Tom McClintock and radical Marxist Democrats like Ilhan Omar are stealthily destroying the country. What they say and do affects us as U.S. Citizens and we need to hold them accountable.
You repeatedly attempt to hijack the comment sections by conjuring up unsupported allegations and bringing up separate issues. Quit trying to play us and stop trying to deflect for them because it’s not working.
Congressman McClintock your article in the Globe was literally a waste of time to read. We all know the power of free speech and the importance of the1st amendment. However there are limits to free speech, for example you cannot openly threaten to kill someone, that is a violation of the law. People who have engaged in this activity have been prosecuted and arrested. These rights are even more enhanced for members of Congress, you and Omar swore an oath to uphold these standards.
This isn’t the first time you’ve failed us, I remember how you and the majority of the Republican Party decided not to act when the IRS and virtually every government agency mercilessly harassed the Tea Party and every Conservative action group over 15 years ago. Where was our defense expressing our 1st amendment?
The bottom line Congressman is you still work for us. As someone who worked as a ranking member of the Republican Party on my Central Committee ( Second Vice-Chairman ) ran some of these Conservative organizations and Chairman of Ted Cruz’s campaign here Sonoma county back in 2016 your inactions have gone completely against everything we fought for. I demand you resign immediately.
agreed. they ousted George Santos from congress for a lot less than what Omar was doing and saying. I don’t recall McLintock writing an OP-ed when the majority in Sac repeatedly shut off Bill Essayli’s microphone in mid sentence,or took Carl DeMaio, Bill Essayli and others off their committee assignments when they had done nothing worthy of censure and did not even get a censure vote??? some of these “stand on so called principles until you turn into a granite statue from lack of action” drive me crazy! you know his office got calls decrying his inaction or he wouldn’t be out here trying to save face with an OP ed!
Calgirl I forgot about George Santos, great point! Thank you. Dan de la Torre
If Omar committed fraud and broke immigration law, the “free speech” issue is irrelevant. Omar can be thrown out of the House and deported:
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-says-far-left-scum-ilhan-omar-should-be-impeached-claims-she-married-her-brother
Whenever Rep. Tom McClintock gets called out by his constituents for giving a pass to the outrageous behavior of one of his Democrat cronies, he ridiculously invokes his “American founders and freedom of speech” spiel droning on and on just like he did in his floor speech.
While Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar is free to bash and attack Charlie Kirk and his supporters calling them pieces of “sh!t,” and other names, there needs to be consequences for her speech? Tom McClintock knows damn well that Ilhan Omar clearly violated the House Ethics committee Code of Official Conduct that Members of the House shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House. On that basis Tom McClintock should have censured and held Rep. Ilhan Omar accountable for her vile and contemptable speech.
Tom McClintock has given his Democrat cronies passes several times while actively undermining fellow Republicans like President Trump.
McClintock has voted against multiple motions to discipline Democrats in office, such as the first censure of Adam Schiff, the censure of Rashida Tlaib, and the impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas. In each, he lamely criticized their actions but then he laughably justified them by claiming that the motions were an erosion of the standards to which such motions should be held. Despite making a speech supporting holding Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for the federal prosecution of Donald Trump, McClintock later voted to not hold Garland in contempt for refusing to release the audio files of the Hur interviews in the Joe Biden classified documents incident.
In 2013, McClintock delivered multiple speeches detailing how Tea Party groups were subjected to excessive scrutiny and harassment by the IRS when applying for tax-exempt status, including demands for donor lists, meeting transcripts, and personal information. McClintock acknowledged that while IRS Commissioner John Koskinen did not order the initial targeting, there was evidence that he had obstructed a congressional investigation and lied to Congress which were actions considered to be impeachable. However when a motion to impeach Koskinen was brought up in the House, McClintock criticized the timing of the motion to impeach Koskinen claiming that it was introduced in the closing hours of the session without time for proper consideration. Procedural deals ultimately averted a floor vote on impeachment.
In 2017, McClintock called for special prosecutor Robert Mueller to investigate President Donald Trump claiming that Trump’s firing of James Comey as FBI Director justified a special prosecutor.
In 2020, Rep. Tom McClintock was the ONLY House Republican to cosponsor the Ending Qualified Immunity Act, which was proposed in response to the murder of George Floyd and resultant widespread protests. The Act would have ended qualified immunity that shields police officers and other government officials from being held personally liable for discretionary actions performed within their official capacity.
McClintock helped put the Biden regime into power by voting to certify the stolen 2020 presidential election and refusing to acknowledge the many blatant instances of voter fraud. McClintock was one of only seven Republicans who did not support their colleagues’ efforts to challenge the results of the election on January 6, 2021 falsely claiming that Congress did not have the authority to influence the election’s outcome. McClintock viciously attacked President Trump at that time falsely claiming that his rhetoric about the stolen election was “utterly irresponsible” and that he had “betrayed” the trust of his supporters. So much for standing in solidarity with a fellow Republican?
Most recently McClintock attacked President Trump for imposing tariffs claiming that the power to impose tariffs is a solely a congressional power ignoring the fact that President Trump can impose the tariffs by declaring national emergencies and invoking the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
McClintock has questionable ethics as exemplified in 2008 when McClintock announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in California’s 4th congressional district, about 300 miles north of the district McClintock represented in the state Senate. Although for most of the year he lived in Elk Grove, a suburban city just outside of Sacramento within the 3rd district at the time, his legal residence was in Thousand Oaks, within the borders of his state senate district. The California Constitution requires state senators to maintain their legal residence in the district they represent. Tom McClintock received over $300,000 in per diem living expenses during his time in the California State Senate, which became a point of criticism during his 2008 congressional campaign. His Republican opponent, Doug Ose, argued that McClintock claimed these payments despite living in Elk Grove for most of the year, outside his legislative district. McClintock lamely defended the payments, stating his legal residence was in Thousand Oaks, within his district, and that his family lived there, making his housing costs higher than the average legislator’s.
Tom McClintock is a traitorous deep-state RINO who has been a burden on taxpayers since 1982 after being elected in California’s 36th State Assembly district, then based in Thousand Oaks. Maybe at the age of 69, it’s time that Tom McClintock either retired or voters in California’s 5th congressional district send him packing?
TJ,
Thank you for spending the time to research and post much of Rep, McClintock’s voting record.
It does not bode well for the 1A argument he puts forth in this situation.
I hate to admit it TJ but I agree with your assessment…
I was a huge supporter when he repped us in Thousand Oaks but his behaviors have been questionable at best for the last decade or so.
.
Spot-on!!
I will just add to all the above comments which I agree with.
Ilan Omar took an oath to uphold our constitution. She committed immigration fraud. Will you Mr. Clintock support an investigation to look into her potential crimes?
She is in a position of power in our government, she has influence over the protection of our rights yet she abuses her power. She uses that power to LIE to the people about a patriotic, conservative young man, Charlie Kirk. She uses her power to LIE about the current administration. I guess one could argue she has the freedom to lie but she has influence in a government position over people who act on her LIES. That is an abuse of power! Why is she not censured for abuse of her office?
Did you vote to have Marjory Taylor Green’s committee positions (her first term) taken away because of her use of free speech in the chambers?
BTW, below Tom McClintock’s floor speech above in the about the author section, it incorrectly lists him as representing California’s 4th Congressional District. Actually he is the U.S. representative for California’s 5th Congressional district which was previously the 4th Congressional district until 2023.
https://mcclintock.house.gov/about
As I recall Mr. McClintock made much the same defense of the most Vile person in Congress – Adam Schiff.
Mr. McClintock seems to be a slimly, traitorous, reprehensible Democrats best friend.
So if I say that Omar eats pig nuts and drinks pigs blood, even though it’s inflammatory in some circles that is exercise of free speech. Got it. Now I am free to say whatever I want about anyone regardless of whether it is true or note. I get now. Thanks for clarification Mr. McClintock
So if I say that Omar eats pig nuts and drinks pigs blood, even though it’s inflammatory in some circles that is exercise of free speech. Got it. Now I am free to say whatever I want about anyone regardless of whether it is true or not. I get it now. Thanks for clarification Mr. McClintock
Dear Congressman McClintock: (c/o Matt Reed)
I’m sure you are receiving a plethora of communications as one of the four Republicans voting against sanctioning Rep. Omar for her vile comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Those many who abstained are more worthy of contempt. I think I understand your judgment on this . . . The people in her district voted for her, therefore they must vote her out, so it’s not up to her colleagues in Congress to control her behavior.
I would like you to consider that her speech not only has an audience outside of her district in MN and Congress, but she has power over policy and spending beyond Charlie’s scope of influence.
There is sufficient evidence that the American public can’t trust the voting process or election results. Our values are not only threatened by radical Marxist ideologues but crazed militants destroy property, civil rights of citizens and now violently take the life of a courageous patriot and Faithful Christian, Charlie Kirk.
The investigation of Charlie Kirk’s assassination seems to be yet another horrific event shrouded in doubt, distortions, and diversions of factual evidence. Inflammatory rhetoric could be a tool for compounding chaos.
Omar can vilify and lie all she wants, but as an elected public figure, she must be held accountable, if not be her party and constituents she serves, then by the body in whose office she holds.
Dustin Grage on X: “🚨 ILHAN OMAR ON CHARLIE KIRK: “I do believe those of you interested in rewriting this hateful man’s history are full of shit.” *gets a standing ovation* The left hates you.
https://t.co/HhVXZgqK8Y” / X
https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/1968768443215212553
You had to cancel a town hall in Cameron Park because of advance knowledge that radical constituents and rent-a-mob activists were mobilized to attend in numbers intended to overwhelm your speech.
Are civil minded Americans supposed to give in to unruly mobs?
“Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.” ~ Patrick Henry
Charlie Kirk took these words as his mission . . . Whose rights was he violating?
I’m calling on you, Congressman, Statesman, McClintock to affirm and assert the fundamental principles of life, liberty and justice, sovereign citizens are entitled to.
Balderdash, McClintock.
Free speech allowed you to vote for this resolution; not pretend you were noble by rejecting it. Free speech was not on the table. FAFA was on the table. And you blinked.
Dear Congressman McClintock:
I’m sure you are receiving a plethora of communications as one of the four Republicans voting against sanctioning Rep. Omar for her vile comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Those House Republicans who abstained are more worthy of contempt. I think I understand your judgment on this . . . The people in Omar’s district voted for her, therefore they must vote her out, so it’s not up to her colleagues in Congress to control her behavior.
I would like you to consider that her speech not only has an audience outside of her district in MN and Congress, but she has power over policy and spending beyond Charlie’s credible scope of influence.
There is sufficient evidence that the American public can’t trust the voting process or election results. Our values are not only threatened by radical Marxist ideologues but crazed militants destroy property, civil rights of citizens and now violently silencing the life of a courageous patriot and Faithful Christian, Charlie Kirk.
Dustin Grage on X: “🚨 ILHAN OMAR ON CHARLIE KIRK: “I do believe those of you interested in rewriting this hateful man’s history are full of sh1t.” *gets a standing ovation* The left hates you. https://t.co/HhVXZgqK8Y” / X
https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/1968768443215212553
Congressman, you had to cancel a town hall because of radical constituents and rent-a-mob activists in Cameron Park some months ago. Are civil minded Americans supposed to give in to unruly mobs?
“Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”
~ Patrick Henry
I’m calling on you, Congressman, Statesman, McClintock to affirm and assert the fundamental principles of life, liberty and justice, sovereign citizens are entitled to and defenders of our American Constitution died for.
oh tom, what a villainous creature you keep inside. sure 1a is for all, but at least check your environment first. have you not seen the hordes of americans who love charlie kirk? are you insane? the tidal wave is before you and still you cling to the dems floaties when you could have a seat on the titanic. tsk, tsk, you are found out as the very example of limp leadership in a time when heroes are born and assassinated. the long forgotten tom.
Sad to say that Tom McClintock was my local congressmen for many years while growing up in the foothills of Northern California. He represents everything that is wrong with the “establishment” wing of the Republican party which use “first principles” as a shield for their ossified hold on power. Ilhan Omar shouldn’t be censored, she should be outright removed from congress for committing immigration fraud and for being an admitted terrorist supporter. It’s because of cowards like Tom McClintock that evil people such as her have been allowed to worm their way into positions of power which threatens all of us.
Yep… he conveniently hides behind the nobility of the 1A, while the Democrats lie, cheat and steal 100 ways to Sunday.
McClintock essentially brings a pea-shooter to a gunfight….
“I raise these points because a member of this House recently made some truly vile and despicable remarks about Charlie Kirk after his brutal assassination. Her words should be loudly and universally condemned.” ~T.M.~
“Condemnation:
1. the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.”
~Oxford Dictionary~
I have family and friends who live in his district who had reluctantly voted for him because there were no other Republicans challenging him and his Democrat opponent was a far left Democrat. They’re hoping that he retires and a real republican will run in the next election.