As Republicans work to retain their majorities in the General Assembly, the two delegates from the Shenandoah Valley say they are conducting an investigation into Democrats' ties to the Muslim American Society and Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center, both in Falls Church.Dels. C. Todd Gilbert (Shenandoah) and C.L. "Clay" Athey Jr. (Warren) allege that the society and mosque have links to terrorism, even though federal officials have found no such connection...
"It is clear to me that the leadership of the Virginia Democratic Party has compromised the best interests of the citizens of Virginia by cozying up to organizations and individuals that have radical agendas," Gilbert said in a statement Friday. "I am appalled by the utter lack of judgment that Democrats at the highest levels have shown in joining forces with a radical element of the Muslim faith for the sole purpose of filling the ballot box." ...
House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) hasn't sanctioned Gilbert and Athey's investigation. But the speaker's staff has been helping the delegates distribute their findings to the media.
Kaine fires back ...
"Politics and campaigning have stooped to a new low when the governor of Virginia's effort to reach out to people of all faiths and races is characterized as an association with terrorists," said Delacey Skinner, the governor's communications director.
Several political observers predicted the GOP effort to link Democrats to terrorists will backfire and cost the party votes in the Nov. 6 election, when all 140 seats in the legislature are on the ballot."The idea is such a stretch, so beyond the realm of believability, this just strikes most people as either ridiculous or just political desperation," said Mark J. Rozell, a political science professor at George Mason University. "The people doing this risk alienating a growing segment of the population and don't really gain anything substantial in return."
Yeah, it's safe to say that the Virginia GOP has really sunk to new depths lately. I'd like to hear what the other Republicans running for office this think about this.
I hope we all realize that this latest stunt with the GOP is completely tied to their ongoing crap over immigration.
The GOP is using the fear of terrorism and illegal immigration to capitalize on racism and hatred at the polls. Perhaps that this has now gotten so totally out of control, and some members of the GOP are over-reaching, the more moderate level-headed members of the party will finally understand why pandering to hate is a bad idea.
It's all hate, hate, hate with the GOP. Hate the immigrants, hate the Latinos, hate the muslims...just as long as they get the racist-xenophobic vote that's all that matters to them.
It's awful and divisive politics at best, and absolutely deplorable at worst.
Too my eyes the Gilbert - Athey "investigation" sounds like a case of desperate election year pandering by two inbred sh-theads who have little respect for their constituents' intelligence and whose lust for power has completely rendered whatever sense of decency or morality that they might have inoperative.
The Republican-controlled General Assembly unanimously approved a resolution in 2005 praising Mukit Hossain, one of the Muslim American Society's leaders, after the Herndon Times named him its citizen of the year. Hossain was honored because he raised $10,000 to buy coats for day laborers.
Virginia Republicans were honoring someone for helping day laborers?