At the time, the younger Al-Arian was serving as an intern for former Rep. David Bonior, the Michigan Democrat whose failed gubernatorial run last November marked an end (hopefully) to his wretched political career. Now a teacher at Wayne State University in Detroit, "Baghdad Bonior" (as he became known after his treasonous trip to Iraq last fall with Washington Rep. Jim McDermott), was a leading opponent of anti-terrorist legislation during his tenure as Democratic House Whip. Bonior's response to Abdullah Al-Arian's White House dismissal was unsurprising due to his tradition of coddling Muslims (with votes in mind, no doubt, as his constituency included one of the largest Arab and Muslim populations in the country). Said Bonior,
"There have been too many instances where Muslims have been stopped, harassed or discriminated against for no apparent reason. This happens in airports, on our highways, and now we see it happens in the [George W.] Bush White House."
It was later revealed that Bonior had received a $3,200 campaign donation by none other than…Sami Al-Arian. Criticized roundly for his intimate relationships with suspected terrorists, Bonior (who also received a $1000 donation from noted Hamas sympathizer Abdurahman Alamoudi) became downright indignant, even refusing to return the $3,200 to Al-Arian. "This isn't about money, it's about politics," he said. ‘I stand by people and communities."