Omar Suleiman, a Texas imam who delivered an opening prayer before the House of Representatives in 2019, is facing a formal congressional censure after celebrating the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in a social media post that called for the senator to spend "an eternity in ruins."

Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, announced plans to introduce a resolution Wednesday that would formally condemn Suleiman's remarks. The resolution comes days after Graham, a longtime Senate fixture and leading advocate for Israel, died at age 79.

Suleiman, president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research near Dallas, wrote on social media Sunday morning: "In other news, Lindsey Graham is dead. Bye Lindsey. May you live an eternity in ruins for the ruins you helped create in Gaza. Ameen."

Van Duyne represents the suburban Dallas district where Suleiman resides and said Congress must respond to the imam's message.

"This type of action from a religious leader that claims to preach about love and not hate needs to be condemned," Van Duyne told Fox News Digital. "That was anything but love. That was depravity."

The Texas Republican said she is in discussions with party leadership about bringing the resolution to the House floor and expressed hope that Democrats would support the measure.

"It needs to be condemned by those Democrats who called him to the House floor to preach," Van Duyne said. "I would love to be able to get Democrats who are on the floor who don't agree that this is the type of action that a religious leader should take."

What the Right Is Saying

Van Duyne argued Suleiman's post reflects deeper concerns about rhetoric from some religious leaders and progressive commentators. She pointed to what she described as a broader decline in civic discourse following Graham's death.

"The words are getting more hateful," Van Duyne told Fox News Digital. "The call for violence is getting more dangerous."

She cited Suleiman's history of controversial statements, including reporting by the Jerusalem Post that he called for a third Intifada and claimed Zionists are "enemies of God." The resolution also alleges Suleiman defended convicted terrorists and traveled to Turkey to support members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

"It's a hatred of a people," Van Duyne said. "I thought it was very important to highlight that."

The Texas Republican, who served as mayor of Irving before winning Congress in 2020, has long advocated for opposing what she describes as the spread of radical Islam and efforts to promote Sharia law.

"There are Republican leaders in Congress who are speaking out against it," she said. "Eleven years ago, I felt like I was on my own. They are in my hometown, and they are in cities across the country."

Van Duyne also paid tribute to Graham as a mentor during her political career.

"When he didn't agree with somebody, he would tell them," she said. "But it was never in a hateful, malicious manner, and I think we have lost the soul of debate."

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive commentators have pushed back against the intensity of criticism directed at Suleiman, with some arguing that reactions to Graham's death reflect broader frustrations with U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. MSNBC host Joy Reid mocked what she characterized as media mourning of Graham, saying "hell opened its doors for at least one more" in a segment discussing coverage of his passing.

Democratic lawmakers have not publicly commented on Van Duyne's planned resolution as of Tuesday evening. Suleiman did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. The imam has previously defended his remarks by arguing that they were directed at policy positions rather than expressing personal joy at an individual's death, though he has not issued a public statement regarding the congressional censure effort.

What the Numbers Show

Suleiman delivered his opening prayer before the House chamber on May 9, 2019, at the invitation of former Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, who died in December 2023.

Graham served in Congress for four decades, first elected to the House in 1994 and then to the Senate in 2002. He was a leading voice on foreign policy, particularly advocating for U.S. support for Israel through its conflict with Hamas in Gaza and supporting Ukraine, Taiwan, and other nations facing authoritarian threats.

The censure resolution requires a simple majority vote to pass the House. No timeline has been announced for when Van Duyne's measure might come to the floor.

The Bottom Line

The controversy highlights tensions over discourse surrounding U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and raises questions about accountability for religious leaders who hold positions of institutional prominence. Whether Suleiman's remarks warrant a formal congressional response, or whether such a censure would be seen as appropriate oversight versus political theater, will likely define debate over Van Duyne's resolution.

The measure faces an uncertain path forward. While Republicans broadly support condemning the imam's remarks, Democratic backing remains unclear. Without bipartisan support, the resolution could pass along party lines but carry limited practical effect beyond symbolic condemnation.