Bachmann under fire from John McCain and Keith Ellison

[muslimahpj]

Michele Bachmann under fire from Keith Ellison, John McCain

Democrat Keith Ellison and Republican John McCain denounce her witch hunt for Muslims in U.S. government

By Alex Seitz-Wald

• 
  
• 5
• 56
• 
  
• more
• 
  

Topics: Islam, John McCain, Michele Bachmann

John McCain and Keith Ellison (Credit: AP)

Democrat Keith Ellison fired back today at his fellow Minnesota lawmaker, Republican Michele Bachmann, with a letter excoriating her for failing to provide evidence to support her witch hunt against Muslims in the U.S. government. Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain became the first Republican to speak out against Bachmann’s McCarthyite campaign, delivering a bold and moving floor speech on her “specious” charges.

Ellison had earlier requested documentation to support Bachmann’s claim that there is a “deep penetration” of Muslim Brotherhood agents into national security agencies, but he wrote today, “A careful review of your 16-page response reveals that you fail to provide any credible evidence for your claims, engage in guilt by association, and continue to rely on discredited sources.” Bachmann’s lengthy missive, sent last Friday, “simply rehashes claims that have existed for years on anti-Muslim websites,” he wrote.

Bachmann had targeted by name Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the wife of former Rep. Anthony Weiner. Ellison notes, “You provide absolutely no information about Ms. Abedin herself” and “fail to explain your claims regarding Ms. Abedin’s mother and brother,” whom Bachmann had also implicated without explanation. Indeed, the allegations against Abedin are wildly tangential, at best.

Ellison also goes after Bachmann’s sourcing, especially Frank Gaffney, a former defense official who has made a career out of smearing Muslims and even conservatives who are too friendly to them. “Your response does not address concerns about the primary source of your information, MuslimBrotherhoodinAmerica.com, which you reference prominently in your letters. The founder of that Website, Frank Gaffney, has a long history of making unsubstantiated anti-Muslim allegations … Your response fails to explain how your claims are any more credible than Mr. Gaffney’s accusations against these individuals.”

Finally, the Minnesota Democrat, who was the first Muslim elected to Congress, makes an oblique but clear comparison to McCarthy by quoting Edward R. Murrow, the TV newsman who helped take down the senator. “We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.”

Meanwhile, across the Capitol, McCain said from the floor, “To say that the accusations made in both documents are not substantiated by the evidence they offer is to be overly polite and diplomatic about it … It is far better, and more accurate, to talk straight: These allegations about Huma, and the report from which they are drawn, are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen, a dedicated American and a loyal public servant.”

“Ultimately,” the Arizona Republican continued, “what is at stake in this matter is larger even than the reputation of one person. This is about who we are as a nation, and who we aspire to be. What makes America exceptional among the countries of the world is that we are bound together as citizens not by blood or class, not by sect or ethnicity, but by a set of enduring, universal, and equal rights that are the foundation of our Constitution, our laws, our citizenry, and our identity. When anyone, not least a member of Congress, launches specious and degrading attacks against fellow Americans on the basis of nothing more than fear of who they are and ignorance of what they stand for, it defames the spirit of our nation, and we all grow poorer because of it.”

UPDATE: Bachmann apparently responded to McCain in a statement, though she ignored what McCain actually said and did not address him directly. Bachmann defended her letters to the inspectors general of several national security agencies calling for investigations in Muslim Brotherhood infiltration, saying, “ I will not be silent as this administration appeases our enemies instead of telling the truth about the threats our country faces.”

Continue Reading

[Peanutx3]

I have a mad crush on Shep! <3  he is the only reporter that may make me start watching news again.  I have not had Fox News on in almost 6 months.

Quoting joyfree:

Shep Smith is the best of the FOX bunch. I'm not at all surprised that he would take this stance. At times, even O'Reilly has made good points, but not as many as Shep.

[Mommy_of_Riley]

He was nice to watch today.

Caught my attention and he'a easy in the eyes too... ;-)

Quoting Peanutx3:

I have a mad crush on Shep! <3  he is the only reporter that may make me start watching news again.  I have not had Fox News on in almost 6 months.

Quoting joyfree:

Shep Smith is the best of the FOX bunch. I'm not at all surprised that he would take this stance. At times, even O'Reilly has made good points, but not as many as Shep.

[Peanutx3]

mmmm yep. 

Quoting Mommy_of_Riley:

He was nice to watch today.

Caught my attention and he'a easy in the eyes too... ;-)

Quoting Peanutx3:

I have a mad crush on Shep! <3  he is the only reporter that may make me start watching news again.  I have not had Fox News on in almost 6 months.

Quoting joyfree:

Shep Smith is the best of the FOX bunch. I'm not at all surprised that he would take this stance. At times, even O'Reilly has made good points, but not as many as Shep.

[shannonnigans]

I don't agree with his policies and I would not have ever voted for him whether he was partnered up with Palin or not but there is one thing about McCain that I cannot fault him for, and that is ethics. On that score he is remarkably consistent and I give him full credit for it.

[asfriend]

Quoting jessilin0113:

Oh John McCain. Where were you a few years ago? You were replaced by a GOP pod person. Welcome back.

He didn't go anywhere, he has always been a progressive liberal, sad that Arizona can't do better than him.

[asfriend]

I would hurry, unclear how much longer he will be there.

Quoting Peanutx3:

I have a mad crush on Shep! <3  he is the only reporter that may make me start watching news again.  I have not had Fox News on in almost 6 months.

Quoting joyfree:

Shep Smith is the best of the FOX bunch. I'm not at all surprised that he would take this stance. At times, even O'Reilly has made good points, but not as many as Shep.

[momtoscott]

 She's a bigot, and I'm glad she's being called on it by someone in her own party.  Obviously, sadly, she is not alone in her stupidity. 

[12hellokitty]

Nice to see so much love for McCain. Lol. I'm sure it will be short lived as he is supporting Mittens.

[Peanutx3]

Quoting asfriend:

Eh I am a much happier person not watching Fox News or any of the other news channels.

[SLTmom]

That is the John McCain I liked.

Too bad the GOP got its claws into him, and ruined his chances...good for him for speaking up, and not just "politely" as he put it.