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GOPers Run 'Witch Hunt' for Muslim Spies

Advocacy group tries to place Muslim interns in Congress. So?

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 16, 2009 10:37 AM CDT

(Newser) – Four House Republicans are using a document reprinted in a fringe book on a supposed conspiracy to “Islamize America” to call for an investigation into Muslim “spies” in Congress—spies in the form of interns in congressional offices, that is. How “repugnant” and crazy, writes Glenn Greenwald for Salon. The document, apparently stolen from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, is a strategy memo that advocates “influencing congressmen” by placing American Muslim interns in their offices.

The memo is a pretty banal example of the stuff that comes out of any advocacy group, Greenwald writes, but that hasn’t stopped lawmakers from raising the alarm. “If an organization that is connected to or supports terrorists is running influence operations or planting spies in key national security-related congressional offices, I think this needs to be made known,” Rep. Paul Broun tells the Washington Times. CAIR is miffed, but not too flustered. “The most they can come up with is that we placed interns on Capitol Hill?” a spokesman says. “I wish we had placed more interns.”

Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C.
Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C.   (AP Photo)
Members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.   (AP Photo)
CAIR is not happy, but also not too concerned with the allegations.
CAIR is not happy, but also not too concerned with the allegations.   (AP Photo)
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This is the precise rank fear-mongering and compulsive need for an Internal Enemy that has driven American policy and political culture for the entire decade. - Glenn Greenwald

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 36 comments
AmericaPrevails
Oct 20, 2009 8:30 AM CDT
No investigate Muslim groups like the one in question because: ""CAIR is the front of Saudi Arabia in America, and was founded by the Muslim Brotherhood (the umbrella organization for groups like Hamas). Countless members in this organization were convicted for conspiring, supporting, funding terror. Like Riad Abdelkarim who was a National Board member of CAIR and was convicted for sponsoring suicide bombings."" (Complements of Enoughie) But also because; we are at war with muslim extremists. If that organization has ties to muslim exteremists.. which it does.. then we should investigate it. Whats so odd about this idea?
Enoughie
Oct 18, 2009 4:20 AM CDT
I see. If you can't dispute the facts you attack the messenger. How transparent and ridiculous; "one of the people who encouraged the US to provide Iraq with upgraded weapons." How does that counter any of the facts he presents? (backed by lots of evidence, I might add). If Reagan provided Afghanistan with weapons he's suddenly not a credible source for anything? If Obama provides Saudi Arabia with weapons he's not a credible source when he talks about healthcare reform? Please, your argument is laughable and absurd. So far I provided substantial evidence against CAIR, while you made unsubstantiated attacks and baseless arguments. I wonder what you have to gain from defending CAIR. Are you on their board? Or is that just a common cognitive dissonance associated with liberals' inability to face reality sometimes?
Fondue
Oct 18, 2009 4:01 AM CDT
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

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