US media is reporting that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has announced that Rep. André Carson of Indiana, one of two Muslim Congressmen, would be named to the House’s Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. According to a POLITICO report:
Andre Carson
January 13, 2015 Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced in a closed-door meeting Tuesday she would name the first Muslim lawmaker to the House’s Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
A senior Democratic aide said Rep. André Carson of Indiana would be named in the ‘coming days’ to the key national security-focused panel. Pelosi (D-Calif.) told lawmakers of the appointment during the members’ weekly caucus meeting.
Carson would be the first Muslim to serve on the committee and was the second Muslim to be elected to Congress. He already serves on the Armed Services Committee and worked for the Department of Homeland Security’s Fusion Center — the clearinghouse established by the federal government to streamline data sharing between the CIA, FBI, Department of Justice and the military.
The intelligence committee will most likely tackle a series of high-profile international crises during the 114th Congress, including the threat of Islamic militants and Ukraine.
GMBDW reporting on Congressman Carson has included the following relationships with the US Muslim Brotherhood:
In June 2009, the GMBDW reported that Congressmen Carson and Keith Ellison, the second US Muslim representative, were guest speakers at a social event sponsored by the now defunct Congressional Muslim Staffers Association (CSMA), sponsored by Carson. We subsequently reported on the relationship between the US Muslim Brotherhood and the CMSA.
In September 2009, we reported that Congressman Carson was to be a featured speaker at the annual convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), a part of the US Muslim Brotherhood.
In May 2012, we reported that Congressman Carson was to be a guest speaker at the annual convention of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), a part of the US Muslim Brotherhood and considered to be closely tied to the Jamaat-e-Islami organization of Southeast Asia, itself allied with the Global Muslim Brotherhood
In November 2012, we reported that Nancy Pelosi was the main feature at a fundraising event that included the US Muslim Brotherhood organizations whose leaders sat at the same table with Pelosi. Congressman Carson was one of the sponsors of the event.
In January 2013, we reported that Congressman Carson was in attendance at event hosted by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) hosting the newly elected President of Somalia. The meeting that included Congressman Carson as well as US government officials, notably Rashad Hussain the US Envoy to the OIC, and a representative of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). ISNA is also a long-standing part of the US Muslim Brotherhood.
In May 2014, Congressman Carson was an invited speaker for the annual convention of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS), a part of the US Muslim Brotherhood and closely tied to the Egyptian organization.
In October 2014, we discussed an article an article which looked at campaign contributions to Congressman Carson by US Muslim Brotherhood organizations.
Given that Congressman Carson is only one of two Muslim Congressmen, it would not seem particularly strange that he would be consorting with the very organizations generally granted the status of representing US Muslims despite polling data strongly suggesting they do not. It should also be noted that at times, other US government officials participated in the above events including Nancy Pelosi herself. Yet, given that his activities appear to constitute strong support for the US Brotherhood organizations, at the very least it should call into question Congressman Carson’s judgment and therefore competence to serve in an intelligence capacity. The same can be said of Ms. Pelosi.
