Building Bridges To Nowhere

Another week, another puff piece on Keith Ellison by the Star Tribune's Rochelle Olson. While she does devote a couple of paragraphs to criticisms of Ellison, most of the article once again reads like a press release from the Ellison campaign. Number of Ellison's "detractors" (a bit of a loaded word, isn't it?) who were contacted for the story? Zero. The only quotes we get are from Ellison himself, Minneapolis Mayor RT "Float Diver" Rybak, and U.S. Attorney Todd Jones, who sounds like a longtime bobo of Ellison. Hard-hitting journalism at its best.

One of the things that we keep from hearing from Ellison supporters (like the Star Tribune) and Ellison himself is that instead of focusing of Ellison's past involvement with the Nation of Islam, his questionable personal conduct (including an inability to park legally, pay tickets and taxes, and file campaign finance reports), and his dubious ties to groups that support terrorist organizations, we should only talk about Ellison's positions on the critical issues of the day. You know, like the way they do with Alan Fine?

Okay, I'll bite. What are some of Keith Ellison's accomplishments in the Legislature?

Ellison, 43, was elected to the Legislature four years ago. He cites his work supporting lead abatement in old housing containing lead-based paint, pushing to convert the coal-fired Xcel Riverside electricity plant to gas, helping repeal vagrancy laws that criminalized homelessness and fighting for school funding and local government aid.

If you travel around the country at all, it's easy to notice the cities which encourage homelessness and those that don't. Maybe the people of Minneapolis want their city to become another haven for the homeless like Seattle and San Francisco. Personally, I would not.

And what could we expect to see if Mr. Ellison does go to Washington?

In Washington, he says, his priorities would be getting out of Iraq, universal single-payer health care and the environment.

So let's see, we have a defeat in the war, socialized medicine, and higher energy costs? Where do I sign up for that?

Oh yeah, about those dubious ties...

Islamic organization to host Florida fundraiser for Ellison:

State Rep. Keith Ellison is going to Florida on a two-day, five-event fundraising tour including a party hosted by the state's director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a group that has become a flash point in the campaign to succeed Rep. Martin Sabo in the U.S. House.

Altaf Ali, CAIR's executive director in Florida, and Saif Ishoof are listed as the hosts for an event with a suggested donation of $100. It is scheduled for Saturday and will be at the Southwest Focal Point Senior Center in Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Ellison will not receive a warm welcome from everyone in Florida. Standing Against Hate:

Coral Springs, FL -- On Saturday, October 14, 2006, Americans Against Hate (AAH) will be leading a protest against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Minnesota Candidate for U.S. Congress Keith Ellison, and Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Jim Davis. The protest will be taking place at the Southwest Focal Point Senior Center, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, which is playing host to a CAIR sponsored event featuring Ellison as Keynote Speaker.

The reason for the protest is to call attention to the fact that both Ellison and Davis have accepted campaign donations from CAIR officials. According to records, Keith Ellison received contributions from CAIR's National Executive Director Nihad Awad and CAIR's Government Affairs Director Corey Sawyer. As well, according to records, Jim Davis has received a contribution from the Communications Director of CAIR-Florida Ahmed Bedier.

AAH calls this a conflict of interest and a betrayal of the voters, as CAIR has been linked to convicted terrorists, terrorist acts and terrorist groups overseas. CAIR was incorporated in June of 1994 by three leaders of the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), a Hamas front co-founded by the number two leader in Hamas today, Mousa Abu Marzook. Two of CAIR's former representatives are currently serving jail time for conducting terrorist activities with groups connected to Hamas and Al-Qaeda. And CAIR is currently the defendant in a lawsuit for the murder of an FBI Agent who was killed during the 9/11 attacks.

Both Awad and Bedier, two of the campaign contributors, have made disturbing statements with regard to terrorist organizations. Awad stated, in March of 1994, "...I am in support of the Hamas movement more than the PLO." And Bedier, in December of 2005, when asked if he believed Sami Al-Arian's association with Palestinian Islamic Jihad was immoral, said, "To a certain degree. Now, before 1995, there was nothing immoral about it." In addition, in July of 2006, Bedier co-hosted a radio show entirely devoted to praise for Hezbollah.

No need to worry though. From the Strib story on the Florida visit, the Ellison campaign assures us that it's all kosher:

Ellison spokeswoman Bridget Cusick noted that CAIR cannot donate to candidates and that its political arm hasn't endorsed Ellison. "Keith's entire campaign has been about building bridges -- to new voters, between communities," Cusick said.

He's a uniter, not a divider.

More on the Strib, Keith Ellison, and Alan Fine at Power Line.