Via Dave Weigel, it looks like Tom Coburn (R-OK) has become the first senator to cast his lot with the group of House Republicans pursuing a campaign against the Council on American Islamic Relations.
Though not explicitly invoked in a new letter to the IRS, the effort stems from purported revelations in the book Muslim Mafia, whose author recently made — then retracted — a call for a “backlash” against Muslims in the wake of the Fort Hood shootings.
In the letter, Coburn and five House GOPers — Reps. Sue Myrick (NC), John Shadegg (AZ), Trent Franks (AZ), Paul Broun (GA), and, also new to the effort, Patrick McHenry (NC) — calls on the agency to investigate CAIR’s non-profit status, charging the group engages in “excessive lobbying” under its current designation.
The group of four House Republicans made similar claims last month during a press conference alleging Muslm intern “spying” on the Hill, and at the time the charges were dismissed by CAIR.
Here’s the full letter: