Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrator In the U.S. Government? Michele Bachmann Points To Huma Abedin Wife of Former Congressman Anthony Weiner.
Once again we have to put up with the rantings of Michele Bachmann. This is the same congresswoman who was caught lying during the Republican primaries.
This is another example of the fear mongering that the GOP (the Republican party) uses to rally their so-called conservative base. As well they hope to instill fear in voters who might normally vote democrat or independent. The purpose is to get them to come out in force, fired up to defeat Democratic politicians.
The following is an article by Jason Linkins (jason@huffingtonpost.com)
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), apparently in need of some attention, has launched some sort of paranoid inquiry into whether the U.S. Congress has been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood. Some weeks ago, Bachmann sought the assistance of inspector generals in the State, Homeland Security, Defense and Justice Departments, asking them to investigate potential "policies and activities that appear to be the result of influence operations conducted by individuals and organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood."
"It appears that there has been deep penetration in the halls of our United States government by the Muslim Brotherhood,” Bachmann told radio host Sandy Rios in June. “It appears that there are individuals who are associated with the Muslim Brotherhood who have positions, very sensitive positions, in our Department of Justice, our Department of Homeland Security, potentially even in the National Intelligence Agency."
Practicing Muslim and fellow Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) didn't take to kindly to Bachmann's insinuations, and sent her a letter asking her to provide him with "a full accounting of the sources you used to make the serious allegations against the individuals and organizations in your letters." He also warned her that there had better be "credible, substantial evidence" for her claims.
Well, today, Bachmann responded to Ellison with 16 pages worth of "evidence" implicating the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to whom President George W. Bush created a "special envoy" position in 2008, and advocacy groups like the Islamic Society of North America and the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Bachmann doesn't make clear what evidence connects these latter groups to "infiltration" -- their mere existence seems sufficient to warrant her paranoia.
But by the far the strangest claim of "infiltration" that she cites is the one she leads off her letter with: longtime Hillary Clinton aide-de-camp Huma Abedin. In her letter, Bachmann tells Ellison that she is concerned about Abedin's familial connections to the Brotherhood, and raises concerns over her security clearance. As Alex Seitz-Wald reports for Salon:
Seitz-Wald goes on to point out what would normally be a sticky logical problem for this conspiracy fantasy: Abedin is the wife of Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former congressman from New York who is well-known for being one of the most relentlessly pro-Israel politicians in America. But if you recall, the sharia-paranoiacs have an answer for that, too. (It involves the wild notion that Muslim infiltrators positioned Abedin into her marriage to Weiner, or that Weiner himself is a secret Muslim, depending on the direction the wind is blowing that day.)
At any rate, if the Muslim Brotherhood wanted to infiltrate Congress, why wouldn't they do it the way everyone else does -- cut huge campaign checks and get their lobbyists to offer legislators lavish rewards for writing legislation?
"As people are looking at the candidate that is the most conservative and the most consistent candidate, I've been that candidate. I haven't had a gaffe or something that I've done that has caused me to fall in the polls," Bachmann told Greta van Susteren in a Fox News interview.
The claim was interesting considering her knack for making misstatements.
The following is an article by Jason Linkins (jason@huffingtonpost.com)
Michele Bachmann Points To Huma Abedin As Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrator
Posted: 07/17/2012 1:38 pm Updated: 07/17/2012 2:43 pm
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), apparently in need of some attention, has launched some sort of paranoid inquiry into whether the U.S. Congress has been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood. Some weeks ago, Bachmann sought the assistance of inspector generals in the State, Homeland Security, Defense and Justice Departments, asking them to investigate potential "policies and activities that appear to be the result of influence operations conducted by individuals and organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood."
"It appears that there has been deep penetration in the halls of our United States government by the Muslim Brotherhood,” Bachmann told radio host Sandy Rios in June. “It appears that there are individuals who are associated with the Muslim Brotherhood who have positions, very sensitive positions, in our Department of Justice, our Department of Homeland Security, potentially even in the National Intelligence Agency."
Practicing Muslim and fellow Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) didn't take to kindly to Bachmann's insinuations, and sent her a letter asking her to provide him with "a full accounting of the sources you used to make the serious allegations against the individuals and organizations in your letters." He also warned her that there had better be "credible, substantial evidence" for her claims.
Well, today, Bachmann responded to Ellison with 16 pages worth of "evidence" implicating the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to whom President George W. Bush created a "special envoy" position in 2008, and advocacy groups like the Islamic Society of North America and the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Bachmann doesn't make clear what evidence connects these latter groups to "infiltration" -- their mere existence seems sufficient to warrant her paranoia.
But by the far the strangest claim of "infiltration" that she cites is the one she leads off her letter with: longtime Hillary Clinton aide-de-camp Huma Abedin. In her letter, Bachmann tells Ellison that she is concerned about Abedin's familial connections to the Brotherhood, and raises concerns over her security clearance. As Alex Seitz-Wald reports for Salon:
As evidence, she pointed to Abedin’s late father, Professor Syed Z. Abedin, and a 2002 Brigham Young University Law Review article about his work. Bachmann points to a passage saying Abedin founded an organization that received the “quiet but active support” of the the former director of the Muslim World League, an international NGO that was tied to the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe in the 1970s through 1990s. So, to connect Abedin to the Muslim Brotherhood, you have to go through her dead father, to the organization he founded, to a man who allegedly supported it, to the organization that man used to lead, to Europe in the 1970s and 1990s, and finally to the Brotherhood.And from there, all connections lead to the obvious Islamofascist puppetmaster: Kevin Bacon, star of Footloose.
Seitz-Wald goes on to point out what would normally be a sticky logical problem for this conspiracy fantasy: Abedin is the wife of Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former congressman from New York who is well-known for being one of the most relentlessly pro-Israel politicians in America. But if you recall, the sharia-paranoiacs have an answer for that, too. (It involves the wild notion that Muslim infiltrators positioned Abedin into her marriage to Weiner, or that Weiner himself is a secret Muslim, depending on the direction the wind is blowing that day.)
At any rate, if the Muslim Brotherhood wanted to infiltrate Congress, why wouldn't they do it the way everyone else does -- cut huge campaign checks and get their lobbyists to offer legislators lavish rewards for writing legislation?
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Unforgettable Bachmann Moments
Bachmann raised some eyebrows in November 2011 when she claimed she'd never "had a gaffe."
"As people are looking at the candidate that is the most conservative and the most consistent candidate, I've been that candidate. I haven't had a gaffe or something that I've done that has caused me to fall in the polls," Bachmann told Greta van Susteren in a Fox News interview.
The claim was interesting considering her knack for making misstatements.
President Of Iran A 'Hater'
During a campaign stop in Iowa, Bachmann responded to accusations from Ron Paul that she "hates Muslims."
"I don't hate Muslims," Bachman said. "I love the American people. And as president of United States, my goal would be to keep the American people safe, free and sovereign."
"The haters are the president of Iran," she said, referring to Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "He stated unequivocally that given a nuclear weapons he will use that weapon to wipe Israel off the map, and he's willing to use it against the United States of America."
"I don't hate Muslims," Bachman said. "I love the American people. And as president of United States, my goal would be to keep the American people safe, free and sovereign."
"The haters are the president of Iran," she said, referring to Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "He stated unequivocally that given a nuclear weapons he will use that weapon to wipe Israel off the map, and he's willing to use it against the United States of America."
HPV Claims
Early
in the Republican presidential race, Bachmann attacked rival Rick Perry
for his 2007 executive order mandating that young girls receive the
vaccine against HPV, a sexually transmitted disease that is the leading
cause of cervical cancer.
She even made the claim that the vaccine could cause mental retardation. However, she distanced herself from the statement after receiving criticism from medical professionals who believe the vaccine is very safe.
"I didn't make that claim, nor did I make that statement," Bachmann said. "Immediately after a debate a mother came up to me, and she was visibly shaken and heartbroken because of what her daughter had gone through. I only related what her story was."
She even made the claim that the vaccine could cause mental retardation. However, she distanced herself from the statement after receiving criticism from medical professionals who believe the vaccine is very safe.
"I didn't make that claim, nor did I make that statement," Bachmann said. "Immediately after a debate a mother came up to me, and she was visibly shaken and heartbroken because of what her daughter had gone through. I only related what her story was."
Many Scientists Believe In Intelligent Design
In
October of 2006, before Bachmann emerged as a superstar of the
conservative movement, the Minnesota congresswoman raised eyebrows when
she suggested that a sizable portion of the scientific community discredits the theory of evolution.
Bachmann said, "There are hundreds and hundreds of scientists, many of them holding Nobel Prizes, who believe in intelligent design."
More recently, Bachmann discussed her views on the matter at this year's Republican Leadership Conference.
"I support intelligent design," she told reporters at the conservative gathering, according to CNN. "What I support is putting all science on the table and then letting students decide. I don't think it's a good idea for government to come down on one side of scientific issue or another, when there is reasonable doubt on both sides."
Bachmann said, "There are hundreds and hundreds of scientists, many of them holding Nobel Prizes, who believe in intelligent design."
More recently, Bachmann discussed her views on the matter at this year's Republican Leadership Conference.
"I support intelligent design," she told reporters at the conservative gathering, according to CNN. "What I support is putting all science on the table and then letting students decide. I don't think it's a good idea for government to come down on one side of scientific issue or another, when there is reasonable doubt on both sides."
Warning Of 'Sex Clinics'
During
the long road to health care reform in the fall of 2009, Bachmann took
to the House floor to warn members of congress that "sex clinics" could result from passing legislation that was under debate at the time.
The Tea Party favorite suggested that if reform were to pass, schools might begin offering abortions to students given her interpretation that the measure was designed to bring Planned Parenthood into educational facilities:
The Tea Party favorite suggested that if reform were to pass, schools might begin offering abortions to students given her interpretation that the measure was designed to bring Planned Parenthood into educational facilities:
The bill goes on to say what's going to go on -- comprehensive primary health services, physicals, treatment of minor acute medical conditions, referrals to follow-up for specialty care -- is that abortion? Does that mean that someone's 13 year-old daughter could walk into a sex clinic, have a pregnancy test done, be taken away to the local Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, have their abortion, be back and go home on the school bus that night? Mom and dad are never the wiser.Section 2511 of the health care bill referred to by Bachmann, makes no mention of abortion and stipulates:
(i) "SBHC services will be provides in accordance with Federal, State, and local laws governing-- (I) obtaining parental or guardian consent; and (II) patient privacy and student records, including section 264 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and section 444 of the General Education Provision Act;The nonpartisan PolitiFact rated Bachmann's statement a "Pants On Fire" falsehood.
We see no language in the three main versions of the bill that would allow school-based clinics, which have a long history of providing basic health services to underprivileged students, to provide abortions. Nor would the clinics even be new they have been around for three decades. So we rate the claim Pants on Fire!Nevertheless, Bachmann within weeks went on to issue the same warning once again.
Her Own State Of The Union Response
Bachmann delivered her own rebuttal to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address back in January despite Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) being tapped to give the official Republican response.
Republican party leaders downplayed the move from Bachmann at the time.
CNN was the only cable network to carry the Tea Party favorite's speech, but that didn't stop Bachmann from landing in the headlines with her remarks.
Republican party leaders downplayed the move from Bachmann at the time.
CNN was the only cable network to carry the Tea Party favorite's speech, but that didn't stop Bachmann from landing in the headlines with her remarks.
Beware Of 'Gangster Government'
Click here to read more about what the conservative favorite had to say.
During an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" back in March, Bachmann addressed an eyebrow-raising allegation she had previously made against the Obama administration.
"I don't take back my statements on gangster government," she said, referring to a charge she made during the debate over health care reform. "I think that there have been actions taken by the government that are corrupt."
"I don't take back my statements on gangster government," she said, referring to a charge she made during the debate over health care reform. "I think that there have been actions taken by the government that are corrupt."
Obama Turning U.S. Into 'Nation Of Slaves'
In July of last year, Bachmann accused the Obama administration of "turning our country into a nation of slaves."
The Colorado Independent relays what Bachmann had to say while speaking at an event in Denver:
The Colorado Independent relays what Bachmann had to say while speaking at an event in Denver:
"'We are determined to live free or not at all. And we are resolved that posterity shall never reproach us with having brought slaves into the world,'" Bachmann read from founding father John Jay , ending her reading with the statement, "We will talk a little bit about what has transpired in the last 18 months and would we count what has transpired into turning our country into a nation of slaves."
She reiterated her concern more forcefully toward the end of the program.
It really seems that this woman has a problem staying away from lies, false accusations, & fear mongering. What normal thinking people should do is simply not buy into any of this foolishness coming from the Republicans.
How do you feel about her claims & do you believe that certain people should be kept out of the government just because they belong to a certain religion and/or are connected in some way (regardless of how weak the connection is) to groups that might have a weak link to a group not particularly liked or are deemed hostile to the U.S.A.?
