Williams reports: "John Boehner, the leading Republican in Congress, has chastised his colleague Michele Bachmann over allegations she made linking a key aide of Hillary Clinton to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood."
Bachmann questioned how, given her 'family connections,' Abedin had been given security clearance. (photo: AP)
GOP Turns on Michele Bachmann
20 July 12
Boehner says remarks linking state department employee Huma Abedin to the Muslim Brotherhood were 'pretty dangerous.'
ohn Boehner, the leading Republican in Congress, has chastised his colleague Michele Bachmann over allegations she made linking a key aide of Hillary Clinton to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood.
Boehner said on Thursday that the comments - made in a letter from Bachmann to the state department and Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison - about the family of Huma Abedin were "pretty dangerous."
He joins John McCain in rebuking Bachmann over claims that Abedin's father, mother and brother were connected to the Islamist group.
In her letter, Bachmann questioned how, given her 'family connections', Abedin had been given security clearance. Bachmann, citing foreign news reports, suggested that Abedin's relatives were known to be connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives or organisations.
This was especially worrying as Abedin's position "affords her routine access to the secretary and policy-making", Bachmann added.
In the letter, Bachmann wondered how Abedin was not disqualified for a US security clearance "given what we know from the international media about Abedin's documented family connections with the extremist Muslim Brotherhood."
Speaking on Thursday, Boehner said: "From everything I do know of [Abedin], she has a sterling character, and I think accusations like this being thrown around are pretty dangerous". He added that he did not know Abedin personally.
Boehner became the second senior party member in as many days to publicly rebuke Bachmann over the comments. On Wednesday, McCain took to the Senate floor to defend Abedin. Without mentioning Bachmann by name, McCain described the attacks on Abedin, a Muslim, as an example of ignorance and fear.
"Huma represents what is best about America - the daughter of immigrants, who has risen to the highest levels of our government on the basis of her substantial personal merit and her abiding commitment to the American ideals that she embodies so fully.
"I am proud to know Huma and to call her my friend," McCain added.
McCain, who ran against Barack Obama for the White House in 2008, pointed out that Abedin's father died two decades ago, and that Bachmann failed to provide "one instance of an action, decision or a public position that Huma has taken while at the state department that would lend credence to the charge that she is promoting anti-American activities within our government".
McCain added: "When anyone, not least a member of Congress, launches specious and degrading attacks against fellow Americans on the basis of nothing more than fear of who they are and ignorance of what they stand for, it defames the spirit of our nation, and we all grow poorer because of it."
The furore around Bachmann's comments come a week after Clinton, the secretary of state, became the most senior member of the US government to meet with new Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood leader.
The White House is attempting to cultivate new ties with Egypt's new Islamist rulers following the removal of the Hosni Mubarak, the hardline president who was formerly backed by Washington, last year.
Abedin, the wife of former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, has been an aide to Clinton for more than 15 years, and currently serves as the state secretary's deputy chief of staff.
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Comments
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If you remember a while back, a Minnesota school district got into trouble because several gay students committed suicide because of the bullying, and the administration did absolutely nothing except criticize the victims when they complained. Then after the fact, they tried to shift the blame elsewhere, and the rest of the community had no problem with the suicides. That was in Crazy Eyes' congressional district.
I believe Sen Weiner got thrown out for showing his, using government time.
Ms Bachman has broken the rules, now we have it in writing. Time to see the pen on paper saying Adios.
Funny how the Republicans turn when they are made to look bigoted. After all they are.
Very cynical, very insightful, and I'd bet a bundle very true. This IS how it works. Suddenly, after 15 years of Abedin working for HC, Bachmann decided to accuse her? And McCain and Boehner decided to defend her? One thing I've learned from struggling with golf for 50 years; timing is everything. These wretched narcissists, loaded on their own egos and celebrity, all alumni of the Katherine Harris School of Media Preening, indifferent to the actual damage their off-the-wall pronouncements inflict on their targets and the public at large, are seeking one thing: the next boost to their Q rating, the pseudo-importan ce they derive from just being "in the news", let alone actually driving the opinion curve among their cretinous audience. I'd rather listen to paint dry.
I am NO fan of McCain, but at times he acts honorably. He did in 08 when that old woman said Obama was a Muslim. He stopped her, saying: "No mam he is not, he is an American, an honorable man I happen to disagree with." That was classy and so was his remarks about Huma Abedin.
I wish more republicans would act honorably. For we NEED a LOYAL opposition. We have not had that for MANY years.
Michelle Bachman is a disgrace and a nasty Bitch. Too bad so many people in her district share her feelings.
I could not agree more with you. We DO need to clean "house" and sweep out the T bags......BUT HOW can we do that when the voters are also T bags???
As for connecting the dots!! Oh my GOD. I am watching "Bill Moyer" He is interviewing Chris Hedges. Hedges is telling about West Virginia, how their state is being totally destroyed by the way the coal companies blow the top off the mountains and destroy the waterways, poison them with chemicals.
They write the laws in West Virginia. BUT THEY DON'T LIVE THERE.........A nd here is the ZINGER... the poor West Virginians VOTE REPUBLICAN. They don't even SEE THE DOTS.
Much of their state looks like a MOON LANDSCAPE. And it WAS very fertile soil.
"Stupidity is the new intelligence." One of my favorite quotations, from fellow comment writer James W. Hadley.
Rosanne Barr who I do not love, was on this past week and certainly tore into Republicans, Polluters, Bees Dying, people in Hawaii fearful of Poisons on their Islands ended with our stupidity as a nation by not promoting Medical MJ versus meds that kill.
that was not to take away from Morgan Freemand, and others but certainly a great dissertation on what is going on
You put the finger on it. We ARE flooded with misinformation. ....Fox has by far the most viewers. And so many people say: I am not interested in politics!!!.... I can't help it. I do tell them, that's too bad for politics determines YOUR LIFE.
And far, far too many people don't understand that they are cutting their their own throat by voting against their interests. Sadly they are not intelligent enough.
Eric Cantor doesn't want to rock the boat. He is scared with good reason. 43% of the voters want to throw him out. 41% vote to keep him. I hope the 43% will grow. He needs to get out of the house. He is very. very bad. He is the one who undermined Boehner, when he nearly made an agreement with Obama in regards to the raising of the Debt Ceiling.
So we can thank Cantor for loosing our perfect credit rating.
Maybe Senator McCain could take care of his own back yard while he's at it and get rid of that crazy Sheriff in his home state
I know this was a Political Ploy with the Romeny bs going on, to distract people from questioning the GOP We must continue to shed the light so people may learn.
True. Clinton is obviously also a co-conspirator, and to a lesser degree, so is McCain, Boehner and Bachmann. With so little information, one can only speculate what the truth might be. A likely scenario is that Bachmann was right and she thought she was playing party politics. But what she was pointing out was something that is common to the ruling class' representatives of both parties. Bachmann was publicly disclosing ties between one of our highest officials to a group that is, more or less, considered an enemy of the state. It is extremely easy to believe. Clinton considered Mubarek a family friend- until it became inconvenient. When they do the bidding of our government and the few it represents, they are our friends. Hitler, Bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein are a few of the more excellent examples. But examples are countless. Pick a country. Perhaps, Bachmann accidentally did something good for the people, but readers ignore the corruption she refers to. They seem to prefer remaining in denial about how corrupt our government, Clinton, Obama and the leading Democrats are. Now the denial has become so deep that Boehner's and McCain's words are taken at face value.
It is obvious from the comments, that those so quick to offer up some fairly unlearned criticism, have little knowledge of foreign affairs and history of the Muslim (Mid-East) world.
It is easier to quickly criticize than try to understand and rationalize. Being offensive in one's comments is a waste and not an endearing trait.
sadly, this is just a little nip; you still have the biggest bites yet to come; can't think of a better person to deserve this...
Run, Michele, run, run... but you can't hide from you Party
It's easy to see the woman just isn't right.
She wants Democrats investigated as Commies, but I believe she should be naming ink blots.
How she ever got to be in the US Congress is beyond me!!!
People of Minnesota should be ashamed of themselves!!!
She is a hate-filled bigot who claims to be a Christian. Not hardly with the venom she spews all over.
Lous Gomer is certifiable, he is batshit stupid, and don't expect him to be thrown out of the house. He is a Texan and his constituents are no doubt T bags.
I take NOTHING back. Gomert is incredibly stupid. It is hard to believe that a congressman is THAT stupid. You can't believe that he gets away with such idiocy.
Since he has been re-elected several times, I would say that speaks volumes about his constituency, only mentally challenged people would re-elect that imbecile fool.
We really are in trouble, for her constituents share her views, soooo WHO can kick her out????
The GOP are again trying to divert us to this instead of demanding the Romeny Papers. In the end I hope there is enough pampers for all of them, I include Democrats with the same base attitudes towards others.
If Muslims wanted to have us...they sure could. America is Lazy.
But she serves as the GOP's lunatic fringe during this election season
This is a Swiftboat type co-ordinated attack.
If you don't do something about it you will lose.
My prediction for you.
Michele Bachmann and Ann Coulter.
How do you know there is not any evidence? You just as well include all of Congress when it comes to outrageous comments.
CONSTITUENT: 1) A resident of a district or member of a group represented by an elected official 2) Servings as part of a whole.......... Lous Gomer was elected (is representing) a constituency that supports his views......Next time you pontificate please do so with some intelligence.
Thank you very much for your support.
That really IS THE PROBLEM. So many voters full of hate send crazy hateful people to congress, AGAIN and AGAIN. Resulting in total gridlock. And we all pay dearly for it. Our country is going downhill. It is a tragedy
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