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Excerpt from Press Release
““It’s frightening to think that an organization with clear-cut ties to terrorism could have a hand in influencing policy – especially national security policy – within our government,” said Rep. Myrick.”

WASHINGTON OCT 14, 2009

PRESS RELEASE FROM JOHN SHADEGG R-AZ 03

Shadegg, Myrick, Broun, Franks Call for CAIR Investigations
Shadegg: “I urge Americans to read, listen and inform themselves about the threat of radical Islam. Muslim Mafia is just one of many books that highlight the infiltration of radical Islamists into our society and the dangers that this poses.

Washington, Oct 14 -
U.S. Representatives John Shadegg (AZ-03), Sue Myrick (NC-09), Paul Broun (GA-10) and Trent Franks (AZ-02) today called on federal officials to investigate the actions and non-profit status of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

In a memo obtained through Paul Sperry’s newest book Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that’s Conspiring to Islamize America, CAIR lays out plans to place interns in the Committees on the Judiciary, Intelligence, and Homeland Security for the purpose of influencing policy.

In 2008, CAIR was named as a co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism case in Dallas, Texas, which led to guilty verdicts on 108 charges based on funneling more than $12 million to HAMAS. Later that year, the FBI cut all ties with CAIR.

In response to these recent claims in Muslim Mafia, Myrick, Shadegg, Broun and Franks call on:

1) The US Department of Justice to share with each member of Congress and their Chiefs of Staff an executive summary of the findings that led them to name CAIR as a co-conspirator in a terrorism case;

2) The House Sergeant at Arms to work with the Staff Directors and Committee Chairmen of the House Judiciary, Homeland Security and Intelligence Committees to see if CAIR was successful in placing interns in any of said committees since the drafting of this memo in January of 2007;

3) The Internal Revenue Service to launch a full investigation into the legality of the lobbying activities of CAIR to judge if they are in violation of their federal non-profit status.

“It’s frightening to think that an organization with clear-cut ties to terrorism could have a hand in influencing policy – especially national security policy – within our government,” said Rep. Myrick. “The investigations that we’re asking for are simple, and I’m hopeful that they will bring to light any and all information regarding the goals of CAIR.”

“I urge Americans to read, listen and inform themselves about the threat of radical Islam,” said Rep. Shadegg. “Muslim Mafia is just one of many books that highlight the infiltration of radical Islamists into our society and the dangers that this poses. The authors make and document a number of very troubling allegations about CAIR that Members of Congress should be aware of and that should be investigated by the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service.”

“Freedom is precious and we must be vigilant in our protection of it,” said Rep. Broun. “As a Marine, member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and member of the Anti-Terrorism Caucus, I believe allegations that CAIR has targeted members of Congress on security related committees must not go uninvestigated. I want to thank my colleagues for continuing to educate the public about CAIR’s connections to the terrorist organization HAMAS and most recently for bringing attention to more allegations that surround this non-profit.

The U.S. Justice Department must share the findings that led them to name CAIR as a co-conspirator in a terrorism case with Congressional offices.

I call on the IRS to launch a full investigation into CAIR’s eligibility for a non-profit status. Finally, I encourage the House Sgt. at Arms to work with congressional staff to see if CAIR was successful in placing interns in any security related committees.”

“The United States is at critical crossroads in U.S. foreign policy and national security,” said Rep. Franks. “We live in a post-9/11 world where the coincidence of nuclear proliferation and Islamic terrorism pose a very dangerous combination and real threat to America’s national security. The Holy Land Foundation Trial clearly showed that CAIR was established to support the goals of the Palestine Committee, the Muslim Brotherhood’s base for support in the U.S. It is time for CAIR’s leadership to acknowledge and renounce their ties to this Committee and its Islamic terrorist affiliates.

Moreover, they should finally publicly state that they do not support the political agenda of groups such as HAMAS or the Muslim Brotherhood, which include the destruction of Israel and establishment of an Islamic state in the U.S. I take the charges levied against CAIR and laid out in this book very seriously because they affect our national security.

This Congress must be deliberate in taking a strong stance against those groups and organizations that align themselves with terrorists, and standing with organizations that are standing against Islamic extremism and terrorism, and are committed to protecting and preserving the cause of freedom we treasure so deeply in America. Asking the Justice Department to take a long, hard look at the underlying positions of CAIR, its actions, and its affiliations is one critically important step in this process.”