Rep. Lisa Brown - Shame, Shame, Shame on You

This is an outrage!  We must raise our voices and urge our communal  leaders to speak out against the sponsorship of CAIR by State Representative Lisa Brown whose district includes one of the largest concentrations of Michigan’s Jewish community.  The FBI formally severed relations with CAIR after it was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the nation’s largest-ever terror financing trial at which it was established that CAIR, among others, was involved in a funding network for Hamas, a US designated terror organization whose charter calls not only for the destruction of Israel, but for the murder of Jews worldwide. 

Would a Michigan lawmaker, particularly one whose district covers a large concentration of black Americans,  ever be indecent enough to host at our state Capitol, or be associated with, the Klu Klux Klan?  Of course not.  CAIR should not be granted any legitimacy and find no quarter, especially not in our state legislature.   This is a dangerous affront to our community.  (see official announcement below.)

Let us hope our Jewish leadership shows meaningful leadership when it comes to the welfare and security of our own community.  Just in case they need reminding of what should be their foremost priorty – the defense of our local Jewish community – please call our Federation, the Federation-funded Jewish Community Relations Council, the ADL, AJC, ZOA, StandWithUs, your synagagoues, the Michigan Board of Rabbis and all others who put themselves out as frontline representatives of our community and Israel. In fact, every organization that supported the Israel Walk this past Sunday should be raising CAIN on this.  You can't pretend to be in solidarity with Israel while turning a blind eye to enablers of organizations like CAIR, a front for Hamas whose avowed mission it is to destroy Israel and the Jewish people.

FBI Director Robert Mueller testified before Congress on March 16 that his agency has cut ties to CAIR due to concerns over its leaders’ association with terrorism.  He confirmed that the FBI has refused to engage directly with CAIR’s national office or any of its 30-plus chapters across the country since the Justice Department in 2008 linked CAIR to terror-financing activities. In a letter to Senator John Kyl (AZ), the FBI confirmed that due to evidence submitted during United States v. Holy Land Foundation et al, it had “suspended all formal contacts between CAIR and the FBI.” 

According to a federal court ruling unsealed late last year, U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis cited “ample evidence” that CAIR participated in a “criminal conspiracy” led by the Holy Land Foundation, Hamas’ principal fundraising arm in the US.  Consequently, the judge refused CAIR’s request to have its name removed from documents listing it as an unindicted co-conspirator in the case.

If you have any doubt as to why this is such a despicable insult not only to the Jewish community but to all Americans,  read the statements below regarding CAIR:

*"Until We Can Resolve Whether There Continues To Be A Connection Between CAIR Or It's Executives And HAMAS,  The FBI Does Not View CAIR As An Appropriate Liaison Partner..."- Richard C. Powers
FBI Assistant Director Of Congressional Affairs 

There Is No Question CAIR Supports HAMAS”
- Former FBI Special Agent John Vincent

*"CAIR has been identified by the government at trial as a participant in an ongoing and ultimately unlawful conspiracy to support a designated terrorist organization, a conspiracy from which CAIR never withdrew" - U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks

*"The four pieces of evidence...create at least a prima facie case as to CAIR's involvement in a conspiracy to support HAMAS." - Judge Jorge Solis
HLF Trial Of CAIR-Texas Founder Ghassan Elashi & Others

In a 20-page order, US District Judge Jorge A. Solis cited “ample evidence” linking CAIR to Hamas. http://www.wnd.com/files/1425.pdf.  Moreover, said Judge Solis at the Holy Land Foundation trial of CAIR-Texas Founder Ghassan Elashi and others, “ You stated it was to help people, but the motive was to support HAMAS," ... "You state that you are innocent, but the evidence shows the opposite."

So concerned were members of the US Congress about CAIR, including former US Rep. Pete Hoekstra (former chair of the House Select Intelligence Committee), that they issued a “Beware of CAIR” letter to their colleagues. http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/240.pdf

Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf delivered a floor speech detailing concerns about CAIR shortly after the FBI’s decision to cut ties with CAIR.

The warnings about CAIR cross partisan lines.  Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer requested that the FBI ban on CAIR be enforced "government-wide." “Senator Charles Schumer … describes [CAIR] as an organization ‘which we know has ties to terrorism.’

In a widely-reported move, California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer rescinded an award to the executive director of the Sacramento affiliate of CAIR,  amid criticism of CAIR’s connections to terrorism.

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin has said that CAIR is "unusual in its extreme rhetoric and its associations with groups that are suspect." 

Moreover, a number of CAIR officials have been personally involved in terrorism. Former CAIR civil rights coordinator Randall Royer, for example, is serving a 20-year jail term for his involvement with the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. That's the group responsible for the Mumbai massacre and which included a heinous attack on a Jewish center in India last year, in which a rabbi and his wife were tortured and murdered.

For an exhaustive overview of CAIR, go to http://www.anti-cair-net.org/Dismissed, a blog written by Andrew Whitehead, who was sued for libel by CAIR. The $1.35 million suit against Whitehead was dismissed. 

 

HERE IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Michigan Muslim Capitol Day at the State Capitol

 "Michigan's Muslims for a Better Michigan"

Mackinac Room

Anderson House Office Building

Thursday May 17th, 9am-3:30pm

124 North Capitol Avenue
Lansing, MI 48909-7514

Michigan Muslim Capitol Day 2012

Join Michigan Muslims as we engage our political leadership on Thursday May 17th at 9am. Michigan Muslims from across the state will come together for a full day at the Lansing State Capitol to meet their elected officials, sit in on live State Senate and House sessions, and learn how to effectively engage the political leadership.

Michigan Muslims will attend meetings with your particular State Reps and Senators from your district attend a luncheon with the hosting State Reps., Senators and Governor (invited) and also watch the opening invocation of the House session by a local Imam.

All are encouraged to attend and take part in this effort to ensure that your elected politicians are working for you.

Sponsored by the office of State Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Lisa Brown and Senator Morris Hood Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan,  CAIR-MI, MMDC (emphasis added)