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Muslim Staffers on Capitol Hill: the Congressional Muslim Staff Association
rollcall.com ^ | July 21, 2014 | Bridget Boman

Posted on 06/03/2017 9:34:03 AM PDT by Liz

A July 10, 2009 celebration, the Muslim iftar, drew an estimated 1,000 people to the Hill, thanks in part to an active Congressional Muslim Staff Association (CMSA). The group was formed in 2006 and regularly held networking events and briefings on the Muslim community. A few years later, in the 113th Congress, the CMSA did not even list itself as an official association — due to a turnover in leadership, lack of participation and what some regarded as a backlash against Muslim staffers. While the organization is taking steps to re-register as an official association, it is definitely in rebuilding mode. Former CMSA members are optimistic the staff association will make a comeback as younger staffers step into leadership roles, but there's a broader problem: attracting young Muslims to Capitol Hill in the first place.

“From an outsider’s perspective, there is that perception Muslims aren’t accepted,” Omair Mirza, a 26-year-old staff assistant and legislative correspondent told CQ Roll Call. On Capitol Hill, the Islamic faith is "not an issue," he said. “[T]hat may be surprising to a lot of people on the outside, but people over here are very accepting. They’re very open to your background,” said Mirza, who works for Rep. André Carson of Indiana. (Carson is one of two Muslims in Congress; his fellow Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota was the first Muslim to serve.)

Carson said in an interview that even lawmakers who have made provocative statements about Islam in the media have been welcoming of his faith. “I have found that a lot of people who have made some inflammatory remarks … have been pretty affable and pretty gregarious and warm,” Muslim Cong Carson told CQ Roll Call. The Muslim Democrat described an unlikely bond with New York Republican Rep. Peter T. King, who held contentious congressional hearings on Muslim radicalization in the U.S. in 2011 as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. Carson described King as "a decent person outside of the rhetoric” and someone with a "great sense of humor." Still, the 2011 hearings created a tense environment for Muslims on the Hill. Ellison even broke down in tears during testimony he offered at the time. The hearings were fueled in part by a book, “Muslim Mafia," which claimed radical Muslims were infiltrating Congress and also cited a number of staffers by name.

Jihad Saleh Williams, who previously worked for Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-N.Y., was named in the book. Years later, Williams is still emotional when recalling how members of Congress defended the staffers. “They wrote a letter saying that it was not right and it was shameful that actual members of Congress promoted, in a Capitol briefing, this book … [They said] Muslims can serve their country like everyone else,” Williams said. He paused as his eyes filled with tears. “It’s just good to know you have people like that.”

But for the behind-the-scenes Hill staffers, being thrust into the limelight was a jarring experience. “As a staffer, you don’t want the attention at all because it’s about your boss and their constituents,” said one Muslim staffer who asked not to be named. The mood contributed to the decline of the CMSA, originally formed by staffers who saw a need for a better understanding of Islam. “We felt that our goal was to help educate members of Congress and our fellow staffers on what Islam actually is and what it is not,” said Jameel Johnson, a former chief of staff for Meeks and one of the founders of the CMSA.

Johnson addresses the July 11 prayer session in the Capitol. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Johnson addresses a July 11 prayer session in the Capitol. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call). But by 2010 and 2011, "something that was educational and informational turned out to be toxic," according to one CMSA leader. The leader said the negative rhetoric and accusations of terrorism caused many CMSA members to pull back from participating. "It just scared a lot of people," he said.

The CMSA also declined because it lost some of its core leaders after the 2010 elections, and other staffers were not willing to take the reins. “When the Democrats lost the majority, we lost a lot of good staffers and we lost a lot of momentum,” said Assad Akhter, deputy chief of staff for Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J. Akhter is a former CMSA president, one of the group’s founding members and a current senior leader of the group. He also noted that since 2010, the number of Muslim staffers in GOP offices has become “almost nonexistent.”

“It disappoints me that I don’t see GOP offices with Muslim staffers,” Akhter said. “I do think that the tone on that side and the rhetoric on that side has made it less likely for Muslim staffers to apply to those offices and be hired by those offices.” However, Suhail Khan, a former congressional staffer and member of the George W. Bush administration, said that while heated rhetoric can alienate Muslims, they should know, “This does not in any way represent the conservative movement or the Republican Party.”

Khan said he is encouraged by fewer contentious statements from his fellow Republicans over the past few years, particularly from potential presidential contenders who have a "much more inclusive message.” He was the only Muslim staffer when he first arrived on Capitol Hill in 1995. As more Muslims came to the Hill, they began to gather each Friday for Jummah prayer. When even more staffers and D.C. professionals joined them, they realized they needed a consistent location.

So, in 1998, Khan approached then-Speaker Newt Gingrich about securing a space for the group to pray.

“I went to the speaker and he was just — the conversation was an amazing one,” Khan said. The Georgia Republican helped Khan land a large room on the House side of the Capitol and told him, “As long as I’m speaker, I guarantee that you’ll have this space.”

The weekly prayer continues today in an open room in the House basement. Dozens of Hill staffers and D.C. professionals enter the room each Friday afternoon, take off their shoes and pray on white cloths, facing Mecca (in the direction of the Supreme Court).

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

“In America, we have Jummah prayer under the Capitol Dome,” Ellison said at a Ramadan event in June. “There are a lot of Muslim-majority countries where you can’t do that.”

Khan said the weekly prayer proves “the Capitol is not just a symbol of democracy and religious liberty but is in fact a living, breathing example.”

“I don’t think that’s lost on people,” said Khan, “particularly on younger Muslim staffers who are just dipping their toes into the political waters and trying to determine if there is a place for them on Capitol Hill.”

And as they do, they sometimes find themselves up against stereotypes, such as the notion that Muslim staffers only focus on a few policy areas.

“When I come into a room, someone will ask me something about foreign policy,” said one female staffer who did not want to be identified, “and I’m like, 'I don’t cover foreign policy. I can’t answer that question.’”

She also mentioned people are surprised to learn that she works for the federal government, given that, as a covered woman, she is outwardly Muslim.

“I do networking events within the Muslim community a lot and everyone’s like, ‘Well, it’s not possible [that you work on the Hill]. You wear a headscarf,'” the staffer said. Her response? “I’ve had a job for the past five years in politics. ... You put your time in or you work just as hard as everyone else, you have a fair shot.” Along with serving as an example to younger Muslim Americans, the woman hopes to revitalize the CMSA. “I feel like with an association, year after year it will grow and folks that come for summer internships or just hear about it might want to come into politics,” she said.

And this young staffer is not alone. CMSA leaders on July 18 wrote to the House Administration Committee to signal their intention to re-register as an official staff association for the remainder of this Congress. One leader said a number of younger staffers have approached him with interest in leadership roles. Those young staffers may want to rebuild the CMSA, but it's not to have their religious identity define their work on the Hill. “I’m not a Muslim staffer on the Hill,” said Mirza. “I’m a staffer who happens to be Muslim.”


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: cmsa; congress; infiltrators; muslimstaffers
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1 posted on 06/03/2017 9:34:03 AM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz

Enemy islamists in Congress Association.

Destroy this foul faith, or it will eventually destroy US.


2 posted on 06/03/2017 9:39:59 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: Liz

Pray that they accept Jesus Christ as their savior


3 posted on 06/03/2017 9:41:02 AM PDT by Bryanw92 (If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.)
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To: Liz

Do they feel as accepted as the Congressional Catholic, Protestant and Jewish Staff Associations? Oh, wait...


4 posted on 06/03/2017 9:43:08 AM PDT by Bob (Damn, the democrats haven't been this upset since Republicans freed their slaves.)
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To: Liz

Oh my ...the deep swamp from hell!!


5 posted on 06/03/2017 9:46:32 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: RoseofTexas

I onder if Hillary staffer, Muslim Huma Abedin. belonged to the Muslim Staff Assoc?


6 posted on 06/03/2017 9:48:11 AM PDT by Liz ( Libalism is standing on your head and telling the rest of the world that it's upside down.)
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To: Bob

Heh....nice comeback.


7 posted on 06/03/2017 9:48:45 AM PDT by Liz ( Libalism is standing on your head and telling the rest of the world that it's upside down.)
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To: Liz

So, just start a Christian Staff Association.


8 posted on 06/03/2017 9:50:22 AM PDT by lurk (TEat)
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To: Liz

“In America, we have Jummah prayer under the Capitol Dome,” Ellison said at a Ramadan event in June. “There are a lot of Muslim-majority countries where you can’t do that.”

Comically, he states a good reason to keep Islam out of the US.


9 posted on 06/03/2017 9:51:31 AM PDT by JPJones (George Washington's Tariffs were Patriotic. Build a Wall and Build a Wall of tariffs.)
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To: Bryanw92
This has been the plan all along---they're salivating to get into Christian congregations------to do harm to Christians.

This must NEVER happen.

For those with a discerning eye, taqiyya is all around us. (a) Muslim refugees have pretended to convert to Christianity; (2) an Islamic gunman gained entrance inside a church by feigning interest in Christian prayers.

Examples abound on a daily basis.

In Turkey, to get close enough to a Christian pastor to assassinate him, a group of Muslims including three women feigned interest in Christianity, attended his church for over a year, and even participated in baptism ceremonies.

Said the pastor: "These Muslim people had infiltrated our church and collected information about me, my family and the church and were preparing an attack against us. Two of them attended our church for over a year and they acted like family."

10 posted on 06/03/2017 9:53:05 AM PDT by Liz ( Libalism is standing on your head and telling the rest of the world that it's upside down.)
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To: onedoug

*****So, in 1998, Khan approached then-Speaker Newt Gingrich about securing a space for the group to pray.

“I went to the speaker and he was just — the conversation was an amazing one,” Khan said. The Georgia Republican helped Khan land a large room on the House side of the Capitol and told him, “As long as I’m speaker, I guarantee that you’ll have this space.” ******

After 2/26/93 and before 9/11/2001. Where was our intelligence?


11 posted on 06/03/2017 9:55:43 AM PDT by sodpoodle (Life is prickly - carry tweezers)
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To: Liz
“It disappoints me that I don’t see GOP offices with Muslim staffers,”

that ought to make it easier to limit their access to classified info

12 posted on 06/03/2017 9:55:47 AM PDT by montag813
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To: Liz

Unfortunately, this insanity has been with us for decades. The muslim’s are just the latest entrants in this corrupt cohort!
What is to be done about the HILL RATS? These are the allegedly “professional” staffers who are so named because after the election their current boss loses, they scurry like rats to a new member – ANY MEMBER (his politics frequently don’t matter) – just to remain close to the power. Most are flaming liberals and, after the “experienced” staffer shows the new guy where the john is, because they have been up there for decades, far too many of these new members rely on them for how to vote and get along in the thoroughly corrupt system of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” that has caused the mess in which we now find ourselves.

IT GETS WORSE!

Let’s say the new guy needs an “expert” on tax policy. Well, son-of-a-gun, the professional staffer JUST HAPPENS to have a college chum who works at the IRS! Need an “expert” on education policy. Darned if that secretary he just hired doesn’t just have an old teacher friend who works over at the Department of Education!

NOW YOU KNOW WHY THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME – ESPECIALLY IN MALFUNCTION JUNCTION.

Looks like we will also need TENURE LIMITS on the Hill Rats with stiff penalties for breaking the rules!

I recently heard Gingrich tell Hannity that—horrors — the alleged Health Care Bill was almost certainly written at 3 am by 25 year-old liberal staffers, groggy on beer and pizza. Not sure why that was so shocking. HELL, that’s how nearly ALL the so-called legislation has been done up there for decades. It’s why there are two things one should never watch being made: SAUSAGE AND LAWS.

One of the KEY THINGS we all need to do BEFORE we get behind a new candidate to replace the 8 term retread who has sold us out nearly every term up there is to INSIST THAT HE DRAW HIS KEY STAFFERS FROM LOCAL FOLKS WHO MAY STILL HAVE A GRASP ON REALITY OUT HERE IN FLYOVER COUNTRY — THEN HOLD HIS FEET TO THE FIRE ON THAT PLEDGE — OR REPLACE HIM NEXT TIME!
 
Sadly, it’s the ONLY WAY THINGS WILL CHANGE UP THERE!!
 


13 posted on 06/03/2017 10:01:07 AM PDT by Dick Bachert (America dodged a bullet. But remember that millions of morons are STILL OUT THERE!)
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To: Liz

“””Those young staffers may want to rebuild the CMSA, but it’s not to have their religious identity define their work on the Hill. “I’m not a Muslim staffer on the Hill,” said Mirza. “I’m a staffer who happens to be Muslim.””””

Liar! If that were true they’d not Join CMSA in the first place.


14 posted on 06/03/2017 10:01:16 AM PDT by raybbr (That progressive bumper sticker on your car might just as well say, "Yes, I'm THAT stupid!")
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To: montag813
Eight Democrat members----including Carson----issued a letter to then DNC-Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The Democrat Congressmen demanded that their staffers be granted access to top secret classified information.

The signatories to the letter were Democrat Congressmen

(a) Andre Carson,

(b) Luis Guiterez,

(c) Jim Himes,

(d) Terri Sewell,

(e) Jackie Speier,

(f) Mike Quigley,

(g) Eric Swalwell, and,

(h) Patrick Murphy.

Some of the named Democrats had a history of attempting to undermine national security. Two Democrats have been linked to an emerging security breach.

The office of Andre Carson, the second Muslim in Congress, employed IT’er Imran Awan (one of the Pakistani clan under Capitol Hill Police investigation for assorted crimes). As did the offices of Jackie Speier and Cong Debbie Wasserman Schultz (then DNC Chair).

==========================================

Americans must demand to see the campaign contributions to Carson, Gutierrez and those members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence demanding classified intel.

CONTACTS HERE:

CONTACT CONGRESS: Capitol Switchboard 1-866-220-0044

Call President Trump: Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414

FBI TIPS PAGE--YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS ---https://tips.fbi.gov

15 posted on 06/03/2017 10:02:45 AM PDT by Liz ( Libalism is standing on your head and telling the rest of the world that it's upside down.)
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To: Liz

Why is there a Muslim Congressional Staff at all?


16 posted on 06/03/2017 10:04:48 AM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Liz

“It disappoints me that I don’t see GOP offices with Muslim staffers.” said Akter, former CMSA president.

You would see more Muslim staff in GOP offices if they were not set upon by other Muslims or by liberals who cannot handle the nonconformity. Conservative blacks experience the same biased scrutiny. “You have dark skin, so of course you can’t believe in this opinion. It’s like Settled Science!”

Sure, there will be an underlying current of suspicion and concern from most anyone, but I think some GOP would be open minded enough to accept help from some Muslims who have acclimated and are at ease with tolerating the culture and traditions of this country.
I have met many Muslims who fit this description.
Perhaps each case where tolerance seemed evident was a form of Taquiya, but I don’t think so. Not each and every time.


17 posted on 06/03/2017 10:04:50 AM PDT by lee martell
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To: Liz

The ONLY place I want to see a moslem is on a one-way flight OUT of the United States. Japan does it right...what’s OUR problem?


18 posted on 06/03/2017 10:05:59 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.com)
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To: raybbr

Nails it.....kudos.


19 posted on 06/03/2017 10:06:12 AM PDT by Liz ( Libalism is standing on your head and telling the rest of the world that it's upside down.)
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To: Liz

I am just about muslined out.


20 posted on 06/03/2017 10:16:38 AM PDT by Slyfox (Where's Reagan when we need him? Look in the mirror - the spirit of The Gipper lives within you.)
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