Norquist-Gaffney feud leads to exile

The Hill.com ^ | February 26th, 2003

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FEBRUARY 26, 2003

OPEN SECRETS OF THE HILL

BANISHED
Norquist-Gaffney feud leads to exile

The ongoing spat between tax reformer Grover Norquist and defense expert Frank Gaffney may have reached the point of no return. In the latest escalation, Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, informed Gaffney he was no longer welcome at meetings of his weekly discussion group.

The reason, said Norquist, is the disparaging remarks he claims Gaffney made about Muslims at a convention of the Conservative Political Action Committee last month. Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, accused Norquist and the Islamic Institute, which Norquist founded, of helping Muslim radicals gain access to the White House and Congress.

"There is no room for bigotry in the movement," said Norquist this week, his voice cracking with emotion. He added that Gaffney had often been "rude to Muslims and made faces at them" during meetings of his 115-member Wednesday Group.

In a letter to Gaffney, Norquist said his expulsion would last until he makes a public apology that's accepted by all parties, including President Bush.

Gaffney, a former Defense Department official in the Reagan administration, fired back that it's Norquist who should apologize for "the damage" he's done by putting Islamic radicals in contact with the president, a charge Norquist vehemently denied.

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So, Norquist says that Gaffney was “rude to Muslims and made faces at them?"

Too much. I hadn't seen that before.

[Sabertooth]

((((((growl)))))

[AppyPappy]

Your tiger just made a face at me. I'm contacting the moderators.

[Thane_Banquo]

I used to respect Norquist, but now he's an apologist for Islamism.

[Sabertooth]

Your tiger just made a face at me. I'm contacting the moderators.

Dare you.

[Sabertooth]

This is good for a laugh.

[mrsmith]

Good, the adult response is to separate children until they can behave.

[Constitution Day]

The reason, said Norquist, is the disparaging remarks he claims Gaffney made about Muslims at a convention of the Conservative Political Action Committee last month.

I was in attendance when Gaffney spoke, and don't recall anything objectionable.
What exactly does Grover have his knickers in a twist over?

CD

[xsmommy]

i know, i just read this and was equally perplexed. i don't recall anything objectionable at ALL from Gaffney.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Could someone in the know please explain how a tax-cutter like Norquist somehow got involved in founding an Islamic institute?

[Miss Marple]

This is rapidly deteriorating into a "Mom, he's LOOKING at me!" moment. Good heavens, even if Gaffney DID make faces, you don't whine about it in public! I thought everyone had learned that lesson from the regrettable episode when Newt complained about having to get off the back of Air Force One.

[Constitution Day]

FWIW... this was the "Safeguarding Civil Liberties in a Time of War" discussion which I patiently videotaped.
You know, the one that also featured Nat Hentoff, Bob Barr & Victoria Toensing.

[ricpic]

"I used to respect Norquist, but now he's an apologist for Islamism."

Agreed. Something fishy about his histrionics.

[Sabertooth]

What exactly does Grover have his knickers in a twist over?

Grover Norquist is bugged because Frank Gaffney's charges hit the mark, and are actually understated. Norquist and his proteges have brought terrorist supporters and sympathizers into the White House, and continue to do so. Norquist's Islamic Institute has received donations from a number of questionable sources, among them the Holy Land Foundation, who's had their assets seized after having been listed as a terror org. They have funded suicide bombers and their families in Israel, to the tune of at least $13 million.

Both Norquist and Gaffney were in attendance at some reception in Washington last night. It will be interesting to learn how Norquist conducted himself.

[norton]

It seems well past the time for GWB to take some action regarding Norquist...what kind of a role could he play once we actually go to war against Iraq?

[Sabertooth]

Good heavens, even if Gaffney DID make faces, you don't whine about it in public!

Well put. And while one can hardly picture Gaffney flashing a nanker at Muslims, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he might have done a double-take at some of the low characters with whom Norquist has been hobnobbing.

I have no info on that, it's just an observation.

[donozark]

I actually voted for Norquist when he ran for NRA Board of Directors. Shortly after 9-11 I heard him on TV. I have regreted casting my vote for him ever since...He is as bad as that slop-bucket-headed Hussein Ibish of the Muslim Council.

[ksen]

Wait a minute, I thought when TLB brought this up a while ago it had to be bunk.

I'm sure there will be people lined up as they retract some of their remarks from the thread of a few days ago....

[Constitution Day]

See my #12... I have Gaffney's remarks at CPAC on video.
Now I'll have to go back and check them out.

My only familiarity with Norquist is through Americans for Tax Reform. I hadn't heard of the 'Islamic Institute'.

CD

[CWW]

Grover has been embarassed because he was kissing up to terrorist and he dosen't want to admit that he got snowed and that they were bad folks. Gaffney just called him on it. Hell, just two weeks ago, Norquist was still defending that Islamic professor who just got arrested for being the Hamas fund raiser in ther U.S.