LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – It’s no secret that U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), the only Palestinian-American to serve in Congress, has never shied away from controversy, and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is Jewish, isn’t exactly one to back down either. So, it was only a matter of time before the two titans clashed.

The battleground is over criminal charges brought against 11 pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Michigan, and Tlaib isn’t having it, calling the charges “frivolous” and an attack on student rights. Nessel, however, fired back in dramatic fashion, labeling Tlaib’s criticism as anti- Semitic. And just like that, Michigan politics found itself entangled in an international debate.

Protests are fine…until they’re not?

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Tlaib has accused Nessel of having a double standard when it comes to protests. According to Tlaib, protests for Black lives, climate change, and immigrant rights were never treated this way. But throw the word “Palestine” into the mix, Tlaib says, and suddenly Nessel’s office decides it’s time to press charges. Tlaib insists that Nessel’s approach reeks of bias, though she’s been careful not to directly mention Nessel’s Jewish faith in her criticism.

Cartoon chaos.

And just when you thought things couldn’t get more bizarre, a cartoon enters the picture – literally. Tlaib found herself depicted as a target with her pager exploding in a cartoon posted by the National Review, prompting even Nessel to defend her. Apparently, suggesting that Tlaib’s religion makes her a terrorist was a step too far, even for the AG. But Nessel wasn’t about to let that cartoon scandal stop her from accusing Tlaib of using religion as a political weapon in criticism of her decisions.

Whitmer: Switzerland in a Michigan showdown.

And what does Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer have to say about all of this? Not much, apparently. When pressed during a CNN interview to take sides, Whitmer expertly sidestepped the minefield by stating that she supports both free speech and safety on campus. In other words, she wants no part of this mess.

Michigan Communist Party has Tlaib’s back.

Not so silent on the feud between Tlaib and Nessel is the Michigan District Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) who stands with Tlaib. They said in a press release on their website, “The most recent smear campaign against Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is yet another unfortunate reminder of the tendency to weaponize accusations of antisemitism in order to intimidate pro-Palestinian activists. We express solidarity with Tlaib and those who face backlash for denouncing the U.S. role in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians.”

They go on to say, “The Michigan District, CPUSA, recently called on the public to demand that Nessel end the prosecution and drop the bogus charges…The Michigan Attorney General’s comments are part of a wider trend of labeling any and all criticism from a pro-Palestinian perspective as ‘antisemitic’ in order to limit discourse. We expect more of our elected officials than weaponizing accusations of antisemitism, especially in times such as this. We demand that U.S. politicians stop demonizing pro-Palestinian demonstrators, from Washington to Main Street.”