Trent Franks | TPMMuckraker

Muslim Mafia

Tom Coburn Joins Campaign Against Muslim Group

Justin Elliott | November 18, 2009, 10:53AM

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)

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.

Steve King

Patriot Games: GOP Reps Pick Tea Party Rally Over National-Security Votes

Zachary Roth | November 6, 2009, 12:29PM

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) at the Capitol Hill tea party.

When it's a choice between strengthening the Patriot Act, or showing up for the Tea Party Patriots, what's a GOP lawmaker to do? We'll give you one guess...

Several Republican members of Congress yesterday blew off votes on the signature anti-terror legislation of the post 9/11 era to attend Michele Bachmann's Tea Party rally against health-care reform.

John Shadegg

GOP Reps File Request With Sergeant At Arms For Muslim 'Intern Spy' Investigation

Justin Elliott | October 22, 2009, 4:20PM

Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), Rep. Paul Broun, (R-GA), Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), and Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)

After a week delay, four Republican lawmakers have formally asked the House sergeant at arms to investigate whether a Muslim advocacy group placed interns in national security committees, a spokesperson for the sergeant at arms confirmed to TPMmuckraker this afternoon.

Spokesperson Kerri Hanley would only say that a letter requesting a probe of the Council on American Islamic Relations was received today and that it is under review.

The letter, which you can read in full here, claims that CAIR is tied to "HAMAS" and cites the new WND-published book Muslim Mafia, written by a man who has labeled President Obama "Muslim":

Muslim Mafia

GOP Lawmakers Dawdle While Muslim 'Intern Spies' May Be Conspiring Further

Justin Elliott | October 19, 2009, 12:34PM

Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), Rep. Paul Broun, (R-GA), Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), and Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)

Four Republican lawmakers have not submitted a request to the House sergeant at arms to investigate a threat that one of the four described as a terrorist-linked group possibly "running influence operations or planting spies in key national security-related offices."

A spokesperson for the sergeant at arms told TPMmuckraker this morning that the office was aware of the charge by GOP members at a press conference Wednesday that the Council on American-Islamic Relations planted Muslim intern spies on the Hill for purposes of subversion. But, says spokesperson Kerri Hanley, the office hasn't received a request for an investigation, and it wouldn't launch any probe until such a request is made.