The new McCarthyism

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Surprise! It's Republicans targeting an Islamic organization without a shred of evidence:

Republican members of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus said the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) have tried to plant "spies" within key national-security committees in order to shape legislative policy.

Reps. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.), John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), Paul Broun (R-Ga.) and Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), citing the book Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that's Conspiring to Islamize America, called for the House sergeant at arms to investigate whether CAIR had been successful in placing interns on key panels. The lawmakers are specifically focused on the House Homeland Security Committee, Intelligence Committee and Judiciary Committee.

So these Republicans have a right-wing book full of delusional paranoia, a book with a forward by no less an authority than... Rep. Sue Myrick. That's it. No names, no proof, nothing. The son of one of the co-authors went "undercover," infiltrating CAIR and spying on its members and activities, even pretending to be a Muslim, beard and all. And what did he find? As a CAIR spokesman put it: "This guy spied on us for months, and the most they can come up with is that we're doing ordinary lobbying work on Capitol Hill?"

Oooh. Ahhh. Even Politico admits that a much-ballyhooed CAIR strategy document "basically lays out a fairly straight forward public relations and lobbying strategy." And yet these GOP McCarthyites are still targeting this group, sullying its reputation and making some pretty damning accusations. It would be one thing if they actually had evidence. Without it, this just looks like profiling, an assault on a legitimate organization. And why? Because it's Muslim. And we all know what these bigots think of Muslims.

Sue Myrick, John Shadegg, Paul Broun, and Trent Franks. You're our Craziest Republicans of the Day.

Congratulations.