GOP congressman who says he supports dogs over Muslims faces calls to resign

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/17/randy-fine-muslims-dogs-resign/

“If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one,” Fine said in a post Sunday on X, which he wrote in response to comments by a leader of a pro-Palestinian group about dog owners not cleaning up after their pets on New York City streets. Fine defended his comments during a television interview Tuesday.

Fine made his initial post in response to a comment made by activist Nerdeen Kiswani, who on Feb. 12 said on X that New York City was “coming to Islam” because many New Yorkers were complaining about how dog owners in the city were not cleaning after their pets and leaving behind dog poop all over the sidewalks.

Kiswani’s explanation on X appeared not to sway Fine, who said in an interview with Newsmax that his post “was in response to a major Muslim leader saying dogs should be forbidden from New York City because to some Muslims, it bothers them.”

“Well, if they’re going to make us choose between our dogs and them going home, the choice is easy,” Fine said, doubling down.