New York Times columnist Wajahat Ali questioned the patriotism of Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw (Texas) — and ended up getting leveled by the congressman.

Ali, who was once named to CNN’s “most influential American Muslims” list, jumped at the chance to prop up Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Mich.) while simultaneously blasting Crenshaw’s patriotism.

The so-called journalist was responding to comedian Jon Stewart’s viral reaction to members of Congress for not supporting a victims’ compensation fund set up for first responders after the 9/11 attacks.

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The number of lawmakers at a hearing over the issue led Stewart to excoriate them as “an embarrassment to the country.” He said their lack of concern “is a stain on this institution [Congress].”

Ali decided to brag about Omar’s support for the compensation fund while slamming Crenshaw for not being a co-sponsor.

That’s an accusation that, as any decent journalist with the gumption to research facts prior to making accusations would know, was completely false.

“Any time a Republican says they are ‘patriots,’ ask them if they voted to fund the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. You know who’s for it? Ilhan Omar,” Ali wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “You know who hasn’t sponsored it? Dan Crenshaw. @DanCrenshawTX, I hope you do the right thing. If not, why aren’t you?”

Crenshaw levels him. It took all of a few minutes for followers on social media to point out that Ali was simply flat-out lying — or didn’t know how to look up congressional bills.

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Not to mention, did this guy seriously question Crenshaw’s patriotism while holding up Omar, a radical anti-American Democrat by any reasonable measure, as a true example of such?

Crenshaw refused to take the insult lying down. He taunted Ali by putting the word “journalist” in quotes and advising him in the future to “check your facts.”

He chided him by saying the word “patriotism” as well, posting an image of a brain scan of the injury he sustained while fighting terrorists overseas. You know, when he lost his eye during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan — and still went back for two more tours?

Rather than admit his mistake, Ali did what most of the mainstream media do, in our opinion: He issued a non-apology and demanded Crenshaw actually apologize to Omar for blasting her previous comments on 9/11, in which she claimed “some people did something” that day.

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah or ignorance, or perhaps both, to lie, get called out for lying, and then continue to insult the person you were lying about.

“I deleted this b/c Dan Crenshaw supported the fund in May after being a holdout,” Ali said, offering “alternative facts.”

“Apologies to him for the tweet. I have no problem admitting it and correcting the record with facts,” he added. “For those trying to ‘own’ me, especially as you still promote ‘alternative facts,’ enjoy Tuesday.”

But he didn’t correct the record with facts.

Crenshaw wasn’t a “holdout” on something that hasn’t been voted on yet. And Omar is not better for attaching her name to a bill by an earlier date.

At no point should anyone question Crenshaw’s patriotism while lauding that of Omar’s.

That person will only end up thoroughly embarrassed for doing so.

This piece originally appeared in The Political Insider and is used by permission.

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