Authors: Paul Sperry
23
“CAIR National Board Meeting,” 28-29 October 2006, 2, 3.
24
In 2006, CAIR secured a $3.5 million line of credit from Virginia Commerce Bank to acquire additional property. Since then, it’s watched its portfolio of D.C. townhouse investments lose value in the real estate bust. CAIR receives rental income from some of its properties. Before the crash, it estimated the market value of its main 453 New Jersey Ave, SE, property at $7.4 million, well in excess of the value of the more than $2 million that CAIR claimed in its tax filings.
25
“1st Annual Report on Islamophobia – 2007,” (Draft), OIC, November/December 2007, 2. On page 3 of the report, the OIC speculates the CIA may be feeding the media disinformation about Islam to link it to terrorism and put it in a bad light. “The secretary general said that the possibility of involvement of intelligence agencies in influencing the media could be there.”
26
Ibid, 4. The heads of OIC and CAIR met at CAIR’s headquarters on Sept. 20, 2007.
27
“UAE Hamdan Okays Setting Up Endowment in U.S.”
28
Nabil M. Sadoun, “Visit Dallas Central Mosque, and You’ll Find Tolerance and Faith,”
Dallas Morning News
, 20 February 2005.
29
Letter from Iqbal to Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington D.C., 12 November 2002.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: CO-OPTING CONGRESS
1
“Council on American-Islamic Relations 2007-2008 Strategic Plan,”
Company Proprietary
, 14 January 07, 2.
2
CAIR National Board Member Ahmad al-Akhras, for one, contributed $250 to Obama on Nov. 3, 2008, according to FEC records. CAIR’s former legal director has also donated to Obama’s campaigns. Jamal Barzinji, another Muslim Brotherhood leader, gave Obama $1,000 on Feb. 6, 2008. Since 9/11, Barzinji has been the subject of a federal terror money-laundering investigation. While other Democrats including Democratic Rep. Jim Moran have returned Barzinji’s terror-tainted donations, Obama has decided to keep his.
3
“Council on American-Islamic Relations 2007-2008 Strategic Plan.” (See Appendix.)
4
Steven Emerson, “House Dems Carry Islamists’ Water,”
IPT News
, 28 July 2009.
5
Corey P. Saylor, “Conference Call on MN Imams Case,” internal memo to CAIR board, 30 November 2006, 2. “We are arranging meetings in DC and Michigan with Rep. John Conyers, incoming chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and his appropriate staff to discuss the need for hearings on the issue of racial and religious profiling.”
6
“Meeting with Congressman Van Hollen,” CAIR meeting notes, 2003. “Proposed Agenda: Hate Crime Prosecution Bill,” Senate. “Congressman Van Hollen assured us that if a bill similar to this one were to be introduced in the House, he will definitely support it.”
7
At the April 7, 2007, fundraiser, then-CAIR Chairman Parvez Ahmed presented a plaque to Hassan for his work at Bridges, a Muslim TV network. Hassan had approached Ahmed with “a business plan” to make CAIR a partner in the venture (but Ahmed claims he had reservations about his character and turned him down). Police earlier this year found his wife Aasiya Hassan’s decapitated body lying in a hallway of his studio. Ahmed now insists he didn’t know he would be giving out an award to Hassan until the last minute. “I found out about the awardees the same time when the audience did,” he claims in a Feb. 21, 2009, message posted on Muslim feminist Zerqa Abid’s blog. He also says that CAIR can’t be expected to vet those it honors. “No organization or business can pry into the private lives of those they associate with,” Ahmed says in his post. “So how can Muslim organizations be held accountable for Mussammil’s private failings?”
8
Mohammad Aziz is a CAIR-PA Philadelphia Executive Committee member, and chairman of the board of the Islamic Society of Greater Valley Forge, which is controlled by the Islamic Circle of North America, a Muslim Brotherhood front group, according to federal court documents.
9
Andrea O’Brien, “UC-Berkeley groups rally to end Mideast clashes,”
University Wire
, 6 October 2000. Also, Dodin in 2001 was among more than 100 protesters calling for the University of California to divest from Israel, according to the Berkeley Daily Planet. Thirty-two of the demonstrators were arrested when they stormed the largest lecture hall on campus. Dodin caucuses with CAIR when its leaders host breakfasts or attend Friday juma prayers on Capitol Hill. Her name is also prominent in the digital rolodex of CAIR’s legislative director, internal records show. She’s listed under “Hill Staff.”
10
Anmol Chaddha, “Muslims, Sikhs, and South Asians talk about the Backlash,”
Hardboiled
(UC Berkeley newsmagazine), October 2001, Issue 5.1.
11
Government Exhibit 016-0075, 3:04-CR-240-G, U.S. v. HLF, et al.
12
Government Exhibit 016-0069, 3:04-CR-240-G, U.S. v. HLF, et al.
13
“CAIR National 2007 Action Plan (DRAFT),” 1.
14
“Report, Prepared by Corey P. Saylor,” 20 August 2007. The report was written under the letterhead, Simple Resolve Inc., which is Saylor’s consulting firm. He has operated as a contract consultant under “retainer agreement” with CAIR.
15
Congressional Muslim Staffers Association was founded by Jameel-Aalim Johnson to educate Capitol Hill on Islam. Formerly chief of staff to Meeks, Johnson now works as a lobbyist for the NASDAQ stock exchange, and continues to do business with CAIR.
16
http://www.isna.net/Services/pages/CMSA-REQUESTING-RESUMES-FOR-111th-CONGRESS.aspx.
17
“CAIR Maryland and Virginia Chapter 1st Leadership and Empowerment Conference,” agenda, 29-30 March 2008, 2. Jihad Saleh was one of the speakers in CAIR’s workshop: “How to Start Your Career in Public Affairs,” which had “a focus on working on Capitol Hill.”
18
Author (Sperry) interview by email, 31 March 2009.
19
“’Muslim Americans: A National Portrait,” The Muslim West Facts Project,
Gallup
, 2009, 114. Saleh could not be reached for comment.
20
“Proposed Muslim Platform for 2004,” 8 March 2004, 1, 2.
21
“CAIR National Office 2005 Goals and Achievements,” CAIR report, 1.
22
Ibid. Also, “CAIR National 2007 Action Plan (DRAFT),” 2.
23
Jason C. Erb, “Semiannual Report – June 2001,” Governmental Affairs Department, CAIR, 28 June 2002, 5. Also, Saylor in his 2007 report cited earlier references CAIR’s “August Recess Lobbying.”
24
Nihad Awad, “Report from CAIR National,” CAIR National Board Meeting, 29 October 2006, 2.
25
“CAIR Maryland and Virginia Chapter 1st Leadership and Empowerment Conference.”
26
CAIR National is aware of the IRS rules. According to minutes of its May 5-6, 2007, meeting in Washington, its lawyer Joe Sandler informed the board that “C3 is prohibited from engaging in partisan political activities. Invitations should be sent to all parties.” He also warned them that they can do only a “limited” amount of lobbying and political work, and to mind IRS guidelines covering such activities.
27
“Devil May CAIR” (editorial),
Investor’s Business Daily
, 8 February 2008. Also see CAIR website for list of congressional endorsers.
28
“Congress cozying up to CAIR,”
IPT News
, 17 October 2008.
29
Ibid.
30
Ibid.
31
Ellison recently even snapped a photograph with the former roommate of convicted terrorist and CAIR official Randal Ismail Royer. The roommate, Umar Lee, posted the photo on his blog at: http://umarlee.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/page3.jpg?w=450&h=337. Lee has described the Muslim prophet Muhammad as a “warrior” who loves “straight-up killers.” He also has written that jihad permits “masculine” Muslim men to take “young girls” as sex slaves from the ranks of vanquished “kaffirs,” or infidels.
32
Janet Moore, “At Somali town meeting, a show of solidarity,”
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis), 10 May 2009, 7B.
33
“Semiannual Report,” Governmental Affairs Department, CAIR, June 2001, 2. Report is marked “Not for Distribution -- For Board Members Only.”
34
“Muslim Americans: A National Portrait,” 48. Ellison: “I want to see many more Muslims serving in Congress,” including as U.S. senators.
35
Corey P. Saylor, “Conference Call on MN Imams Case,” internal memo to CAIR board, 30 November 2006, 2.
36
“CAIR’s Savior In The Congress” (editorial),
Investor’s Business Daily
, 27 November 2007.
37
“Resolution Addressing the ‘USA PATRIOT Act’ to Ensure the Constitutional Rights of Citizens and Residents of Fairfax County,” (DRAFT THREE), 14 November 2003. The draft was found in CAIR’s executive files.
38
Paul Sperry, “The Saudis’ New Man in Congress,”
FrontPageMagazine
, 5 December 2008.
39
Author (Sperry) interview by email, 9 December 2008.
40
Supplemental Statement, Form CRM-154, Pursuant to Section 2 of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, U.S. Department of Justice, six-month period ending 30 September 2007, Attachment F. Also, Form CRM-154, 31 March 2007; Form CRM-154, 30 September 2006; Form CRM-154, 31 March 2006.
41
Author (Sperry) interview by email. Qorvis’ Petruzzello could not be reached for comment. Phone calls to Connolly’s office were not returned.
42
See Appendix.
43
Joseph Abrams, “House Leaders Wary of CAIR after FBI Shuns Islamic Advocacy Group,”
Fox News.com
, 3 February 2009.
44
Letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller from Schumer, Kyl, and Coburn, 24 February 2009.
45
CAIR email from Saylor to Awad, et al., “Subject: What now,” 3 January 2007. “We need to define clear objectives: meet with Boxer…Are we deciding to burn this bridge completely and go all out against her or are we going to take the hit and seek to repair things over time?…Sen. Boxer is going to dig in her heels. To reverse herself now publicly would be bad, and I’m not sure if our political ground strength in CA is strong enough to make it hurt enough.” The memo considered playing up criticism of Boxer as “the nation’s dumbest Democrat.”
CHAPTER TWELVE: BLACKMAILING CORPORATE AMERICA
1
“CAIR and the ACLU have had a long and positive relationship as a coalition,” read undated notes from a CAIR-ACLU meeting in Washington. They are “best allies for one another in any civil-liberties issues.” Also: in a June 2009 ACLU report, “Blocking Faith, Freezing Charity: Chilling Muslim Charitable Giving in the ‘War on Terrorism Financing,’” the ACLU rushed to CAIR’s defense against government charges it conspired to support terrorists in the Holy Land Foundation case, demanding its name be expunged from the blacklist of co-conspirators along with ISNA’s and NAIT’s. The government “list smeared these mainstream organizations,” the ACLU complained, and has scared off contributors.