By Blessing Nweke
Republican Rep. Randy Fine is facing mounting calls for his resignation after posting on X that he would choose “dogs over Muslims” if forced to decide between the two.
“If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one,” Fine wrote Sunday. He later shared a screenshot of a post by Nerdeen Kiswani, co-founder of the pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, in which she described dogs as “unclean” and said “NYC is coming to Islam.” Fine referenced New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, suggesting Kiswani was aligned with political supporters of the mayor.
The remarks drew swift condemnation. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on congressional leaders to demand Fine’s resignation, citing what it described as a pattern of anti-Muslim rhetoric. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., labeled the comments “disgusting Islamophobia and dangerous bigotry,” while Rep. Yassamin Ansari urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to reprimand Fine immediately. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also responded on X, writing, “Resign now.”
Kiswani said her original post was satire tied to a local debate about pet waste after a snowstorm and accused Fine of dehumanizing Muslims and Palestinians. She referenced comments made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in her 2024 book about killing a dog, arguing her remarks had been taken out of context.
Fine, who won a special election less than a year ago, has not backed down. He continued posting dog-themed images styled after the Gadsden flag and defended his comments, saying he would not be “shamed.”
Original article
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