Specificlly, she and four other Republican Congressmen, have sent a letter to five different federal agencies demanding an investigation of the "infiltration" of our government by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Sound familiar? Substitute "Islamic fundamentalists" for "communists" and we're right back into the McCarthy era.
What evidence do they based this claim on?
No evidence at all -- just a "report" by the Center for Security Policy, which is an organization run by the fanatic Frank Gaffney, who has been fanatically crusading against the Muslim Brotherhood and Sharia law for years.
They mention by name Huma Abedin, a State Department official who has been an aide to Hillary Clinton for years. She is also the wife of former Congressman Anthony Wiener. The "evidence" against Abedin is typical of the flimsy tale they spin.
She is Muslim, yes, that's not in doubt. Bachmann et al claim that three of her family members are connected to the Muslim Brotherhood. Ergo, she's part of an infiltration conspiracy.
John McCain and Anderson Cooper are two who have called the charges unfounded and have denounced these tactics.
McCain said:
"These allegations about Huma and the report from which they are drawn are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable woman, a dedicated American and a loyal public servant. . . .Bravo, John McCain. You have repeated your defense of Barack Obama when a woman at one of your campaign rallies in 2008 stated that Obama was a Muslim. Thank you.
"Ultimately, 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 still aspire to be ... 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."
Cooper deconstructed the "evidence" - a series of tenuous connections. It seems that years ago Huma Abedin's deceased father had some connection to another man who also was part of some other group that had some connection to the Muslim Brotherhood.
And Cooper concludes: "And because of that, Huma Abedin might be some sort of spy or infiltrator and deserves to be investigated."
This is really pathetic and despicable. Michele Bachmann has sunk to a new level of mean and low and once again proved herself unfit to be in Congress, much less the Oval Office. She could be dismissed as a joke, if the media didn't give her such exposure and, hence, power to sway ignorant, bigoted people's opinions.
Ralph
Other Republicans are chiming in:
ReplyDeleteJohn Boehner said "I think accusations like this being thrown around are pretty dangerous."
Bachmann's former campaign director, Ed Rollins, compared it to the conspiracy theories of Joe McCarthy.
Senators Scott Brown and Marco Rubio were also critical.
Bachmann doubled down today on her Muslim charges on Glenn Beck's radio show, saying that Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) is also associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
ReplyDeleteEllison is Muslim, and he made news when he used a Koran for his swearing in ceremony.
He laughed off Bachmann's silly charge, mocking the McCarthy type charge by saying: "I am not now, nor have I ever been associated with the Muslim Brotherhood."
He was asked why she makes these charges, and replied that he thinks she really believes that people who are different from her are bad people. "I think she thinks that we're evil because we don't understand God the way she does."
Bachmann doubled down today on her Muslim charges on Glenn Beck's radio show, saying that Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) is also associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Ellison is Muslim, and he made news when he was sworn in to Congress a few years ago when he swore on the Koran instead of a Bible. And why not? In fact, why did it even come up as a question?
He laughed off Bachmann's silly charge, saying (mocking the McCarthy type charge): "I am not now, nor have I ever been associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. . . . It must be very frightening to see the world through her eyes."