Government & Politics

Inside Bob Casey’s troubling relationship with Erdogan’s best friend in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania Murat Güzel, a prolific Democratic donor, credits Bob Casey with helping him get a start in politics. Casey’s wife, Terese, recently thanked Güzel for a $100,000 donation to another Pennsylvania committee.

(Free Beacon) Murat Güzel is one of Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s closest allies in the United States. A former board member of the Turkish American National Steering Committee alongside Erdogan’s cousin, Halil Mutlu, the Turkish-born Pennsylvania businessman has lobbied lawmakers on […]

Government & Politics

Inside Biden’s broken relationship with Muslim and Arab American leaders Even as the president piles new pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza, those who have called most passionately for him to change course say it is too little, too late.

(NY Times) Seven months into Israel’s war in Gaza, Muslim and Arab American leaders say their channels of communication with President Biden’s White House have largely broken down, leaving the administration without a politically valuable chorus of support for his significant shift […]

Government & Politics

Anger over Starmer’s Gaza stance dents Labour election glory Opposition thumps Conservatives in local polls, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's leadership may survive his party's losses

(National-UAE) Labour’s elation at thumping the Conservatives in the England and Wales local elections has been tempered by concern that it is losing key voter blocs, particularly in Muslim communities, over its stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Labour’s attempt to unseat the […]

Government & Politics

Biden campaign refuses invitation to address US Muslim voter advocacy groups Muslim voters say the campaign's refusal to engage 'reveals the disconnect' between Biden and voters, as Muslims hear from third-party candidates

(Middle East Eye) US President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign team refused an invitation to address a symposium regarding the voter engagement of more than one million Muslim Americans in the country, according to a coalition of more than two dozen Muslim civic […]

Government & Politics

‘Squad’ members cozy up to anti-Semitic fundraiser who promoted Holocaust denial Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Summer Lee, and Ilhan Omar pose for pictures with Maher Abdel-qader

(Free Beacon) Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Cori Bush (Mo.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), and Summer Lee (Pa.) posed for photos with a fundraiser last week who has spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and founded a Facebook group where Hamas terrorists are praised. The […]

Government & Politics

Muslim Americans who soured on Biden see Israel aid package as further betrayal 'If our votes and the votes of people who support the Palestinian human rights are so important, then Biden should be listening,' one activist said.

(NBC) “Outraged,” “point of no return” and “absolute disaster” are how some Muslim American organizers have described their reactions to an aid package for Israel that is making its way through Congress for President Joe Biden to sign into law. Many Muslim […]

Demonstrations

Iran attack widens rift between activist left and Dem moderates The latest flashpoint in the Israel-Gaza war shows both sides calcifying their stances.

(Politico) Moments after Iran launched an attack on Israel, around 400 pro-Palestinian protesters in Chicago broke out in chants of “Hands off Iran!” The head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, claimed Iran “is responding […]

Immigration

Man on terror watchlist was released by Border Patrol With border security funding blocked in Congress, the case illustrates the challenges U.S. officials face in identifying migrants who may pose national security threats.

(NBC) An Afghan migrant on the terrorist watchlist spent nearly a year inside the U.S. after he was apprehended and released by Border Patrol agents last year, U.S. officials told NBC News. The man was arrested in February and then released last […]

Clerics & Preachers

‘Death to America,’ ‘Death to Israel’ chants pour out of Muslim protesters in Michigan on last [Friday] of Ramadan Dearborn has become ‘hotbed for hate,’ according to 1 expert

(Fox) Protesters in Dearborn, Michigan, shouted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” during an International Al-Quds Day rally held in the town. “Imam Khomeini, who declared the International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

White House ramps up defense of embattled Muslim American judicial nominee First to NBC News: Biden’s top aides are pushing the Senate to confirm Adeel Mangi to be a U.S. appeals court judge as Sen. Jacky Rosen becomes the third Democrat to oppose him.

(NBC) Facing a potentially devastating Democratic defection in the Senate, the White House is ramping up its fight to confirm an embattled judicial nominee who would be the first Muslim American to serve as a U.S. federal appeals court judge. The White […]

Government & Politics

Dem Rep. Jahana Hayes stands by letter she wrote praising Hamas-friendly group CAIR Islamic advocacy group's leader said he was 'happy to see' Hamas kill Jews on Oct. 7

(Free Beacon) Connecticut congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D.) is defending a letter she wrote praising the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic advocacy group whose leader said he was “happy to see” Hamas kill Jews on Oct. 7. The group does valuable […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Biden nomination of the first Muslim American to a federal appeals court in peril Two Democratic senators said they will oppose the nomination of Adeel Mangi to the powerful 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

(NBC) President Joe Biden’s nomination of Adeel Mangi to be a powerful U.S. circuit court judge is in peril after two Senate Democrats announced they will oppose his nomination. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., have said they will […]

Interfaith

Pew: Half of US Muslims say ‘valid’ Hamas reasons to fight Israel, 21% say Oct. 7 attack ‘acceptable’ Just 18% of U.S. Muslims said that Israel had valid reasons to go to war against Hamas.

(JNS) Regardless of how they feel about Oct. 7, almost half of U.S. Muslim adults (49%) say that Hamas had “valid” reasons to fight Israel, and 21% of that demographic said that Hamas’s terror attack on Oct. 7 was either “completely acceptable” […]

Demonstrations

Michigan Arab and Muslim leaders fuming after second Biden visit this year with no meeting President Joe Biden faces pushback and protest over his support for Israel amid its military action in Gaza.

(NBC) For the second time this year, President Joe Biden visited Michigan without any in-person meetings with members of its Arab American or Muslim communities as he faces protests at campaign events and at the ballot box over Israel’s military action in […]

Government & Politics

Arab, Muslim and Palestinian leaders refuse to meet with White House aides in Chicago The protests continue, this time in the Windy City.

(Politico) More than three dozen Arab, Muslim and Palestinian-American leaders blasted a White House effort to meet with community organizations in Chicago over the administration’s position on the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a joint letter addressed to the White House, the groups criticized […]

Government & Politics

Jamaal Bowman and Rashida Tlaib lead ‘free Palestine’ chant at joint fundraising event Bowman, facing fundraising woes in difficult primary, turned to Tlaib to help raise cash

(Free Beacon) Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D., N.Y.) held his first joint fundraising event with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) on Saturday, with the lawmakers filming themselves leading a “free Palestine” chant at a New York restaurant that is not in Bowman’s district. […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

In Britain, shockwaves from Israel-Hamas war are jolting domestic politics The United States and several European nations have been caught up in toxic debates that have altered election campaigns and led to eruptions of inflammatory language over the conflict.

(NY Times) Inside Britain’s Parliament, lawmakers jeered, booed, and stormed out of the House of Commons to protest the speaker’s handling of a vote calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Outside, a crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators projected the slogan, “From the river […]

Government & Politics

Summer Lee cancels appearance at CAIR banquet featuring antisemitic speakers Her decision comes after leading Democrats in the state, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, criticized the event

(Jewish Insider) Amid fierce backlash, Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) announced on Tuesday that she had canceled her planned appearance this weekend at a fundraising banquet for a leading Muslim advocacy group featuring several speakers who have espoused antisemitic and homophobic views. “I […]

Government & Politics

The top Muslim state lawmaker in Michigan wants you to turn on Joe Biden Michigan Rep. Abraham Aiyash hopes to send the president a message in Tuesday’s primary: Cease-fire or bust.

(Politico) In late October, the Democratic floor leader of the Michigan House of Representatives, Abraham Aiyash, stood in front of thousands gathered in downtown Detroit to denounce a man who is vying to win another four years in the Oval Office. He […]

Government & Politics

McCormick calls on Lee to resign over scheduled appearance at CAIR gala featuring antisemitic speakers Sen. Bob Casey criticized CAIR in a statement, but declined to speak out against Lee’s appearance at the event

(Jewish Insider) Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick called on Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) to resign from Congress after she scheduled an appearance at a Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) gala featuring a lineup of antisemitic speakers, including one who praised Hamas’ Oct. […]

Clerics & Preachers

Rep. Summer Lee headlines CAIR fundraising banquet, alongside speakers with antisemitic history One scheduled speaker rejoiced over the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre hours after it occurred

(Jewish Insider) Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) is scheduled to give remarks at a fundraising banquet for a leading Muslim advocacy group on Saturday alongside several speakers who have made antisemitic and homophobic comments. The freshman Squad member, a vocal critic of Israel […]