LGF links to a story by Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball:
In a highly unusual move, Sen. Barbara Boxer of California has rescinded an award to an Islamic activist in her home state because of the man’s connections to a major American Muslim organization that recently has been courted by leading political figures and even the FBI.- - - - - - - - - -
Boxer’s office confirmed to NEWSWEEK that she has withdrawn a “certificate of accomplishment” to Sacramento activist Basim Elkarra after learning that he serves as an official with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). After directing her staff to look into CAIR, Boxer “expressed concern” about some past statements and actions by the group, as well as assertions by some law enforcement officials that it “gives aid to international terrorist groups,” according to Natalie Ravitz, the senator’s press spokeswoman.
CAIR, which has 32 offices around the country and bills itself as the leading Muslim-American civil- rights group, has never been charged with any crimes, nor have any of its top leaders. But a handful of individuals who have had ties to CAIR in the past have been convicted or deported for financial dealings with Hamas—another reason cited by Boxer for her action. The senator directed her staff to withdraw the certificate—which she routinely gives to community leaders in California—and asked that a statement she had previously made endorsing CAIR be stricken from the group’s Web site, Ravitz said in an e-mail.
While we could sniff and say “better late than never”…let’s not. Her back-tracking is wonderful, welcome news.
Now, would someone please tell her that Rep. Ellison from Minnesota had his campaign financed by this very same group?
CAIR may have jumped the shark with this one…let’s wait and see.
7 comments:
Interesting. Perhaps not all Dhimmicrats are lost.
Well done, Senator Boxer. That took guts, something both Republicans & Democrats could do with more of (not to mention my own countries' Conservatives, Labour & Lib Dems).
Boxer can be a puzzlement. Her convictions are straight social-fascist, but her fundamental instincts often seem to be decent. Well, in politics one often gets farther on the popular perception of what sort of person one is than for any more specific position.
After directing her staff to look into CAIR, Boxer “expressed concern” about some past statements and actions by the group, as well as assertions by some law enforcement officials that it “gives aid to international terrorist groups,”...
Well, well, well. CAIR may get a spotlight they don't want. :)
Finally: a liberal politician who gets it.
Email form for contacting Senator Boxer.
Anti-CAIR site has two quotes from Senators at its header. Both of them Democrats.
On the other hand, both George and Jeb Bush endorsed CAIR.
So this idea about liberals "getting it" is sort of ridiculous.
It was also Democrats that protested against anti-Semitic statements of the Speaker of Iraqi Parliament, which Republicans saw as just another exercise of freedom of speech.
Post a Comment