WASHINGTON — Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced that she would assign Muslim Rep. André Carson (D-IN) to the prestigious House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
The Middle East Forum think-tank found that since 2008, Carson has received nearly $34,000 in campaign funds from Islamist sources, primarily individuals affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
CAIR has been linked to Hamas by the FBI. Hamas is listed as a terorrist organization by the U.S. government.
CAIR itself was designated a terrorist group by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Rep. Carson, Congress’ second Muslim lawmaker, also received donations from an individual linked to the Muslim American Society (MAS), which is also considered a terrorist organization by the UAE.
Citing a senior Democratic aide, Politico reports that Congressman Carson “would be named in the ‘coming days’ to the key national security-focused panel.”
Pelosi made the announcement on Tuesday, during the closed-door weekly caucus meeting with lawmakers.
Carson would be the first Muslim to serve on the intelligence panel. He already serves on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities and Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
The Armed Services Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence in the House deal with international conflicts involving U.S. efforts against Islamic terrorists.
Prior to taking office, Congressman Carson worked full-time in law enforcement and for the anti-terrorism unit of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
Politico notes that he also “worked for the Department of Homeland Security’s Fusion Center — the clearinghouse established by the federal government to streamline data sharing between the CIA, FBI, Department of Justice and the military.”
Individuals associated with other Islamist groups — Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), and Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) — have also donated money to Rep. Carson, according to the Middle East Forum.
“In Indiana, Democratic representative André Carson has received almost $34,000 from Islamist sources for his congressional runs since 2008,” wrote Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum, in an October 2014 article published by National Review Online.
Pipes noted that at the 2012 annual ICNA-MAS convention, Carson encouraged U.S. schools to look “at the model we have in our madrassas, . . . where the foundation is the Qur’an.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.