Posted on 03/18/2016 2:11:01 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
His newest foreign policy advisor, Frank Gaffney, is a key player in the effort to remove Grover Norquist from the organization's board.
Ted Cruz named Frank Gaffney his foreign policy advisor on Thursday, a move that threatens to involve the Republican presidential contender in a contentious fight to get the party's most prominent anti-tax advocate kicked off the National Rifle Association's board.
Gaffney once worked for President Ronald Reagan's Department of Defense and now runs the Center for Security Policy, a hyper-conservative think tank that promulgates theories about a Muslim Brotherhood conspiracy to infiltrate the U.S. government. The Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed Gaffney "one of America's most notorious Islamophobes." For years, he has also worked to take down an unlikely target: Republican superstar and founder of Americans for Tax Reform, Grover Norquist.
Norquist is best known for browbeating GOP lawmakers into signing "The Taxpayer Protection Pledge," which contractually requires them to resist tax increases of almost any sort. But as The Trace reported in February, he also serves on the board of the NRA, and at the moment he is the subject of a recall effort spearheaded by Tea Party icon Glenn Beck. To make his case to his followers, many of whom are affiliated with the NRA, Beck has primarily relied on distorted evidence gathered by Gaffney.
The gist of Beck and Gaffney's beef with Norquist is an assertion that the latter has ties to Islamist extremists, which is a considerable distortion of reality. In the 1990s, Norquist started an organization called the Islamic Free Market Institute (IFMI), with the goal of spreading free market ideas to the Middle East. At times, he crossed paths with some people later identified as extremists -- evidence, according to Beck and Gaffney, that Norquist has conspired with people who want to harm America.
Beck's feud with Norquist dates to at least 2013, and he has advocated since then to boot the anti-tax advocate from the NRA's board. A recall effort, led by Beck, is well underway, and a heated debate has broken out among the organization's members. On the popular firearms enthusiast website Ammoland, there have been posts defending Norquist, and others calling for his dismissal. In February, one commenter wrote, "The NRA better press the issue ... or it will lose tons of members, myself included!"
Whether Gaffney's involvement in the internecine NRA battle has implications for Cruz remains to be seen, but at minimum it promises to make potential conversations with senior NRA members -- and Norquist himself -- more complicated.
Cruz has sought to position himself as the most pro-gun candidate in the election. Yet by hiring Gaffney, Cruz may anger a number of long-serving NRA board members, including David Keene, the organization's president from 2011 to 2013, who have made public statements against the effort to recall Norquist.
Cruz could also lose the support of a man who is a natural ally. In April, on his campaign site, the Republican candidate announced that he had signed Norquist's pledge. As president, the press release read, "he will oppose and veto any all efforts to increase taxes." The release quoted Norquist, who referred to Cruz as a "strong and consistent advocate for taxpayers."
Cruz does not play effectively with the big boys.
Isn’t Grover pro muslim?
Grover Norquist is not our nor any conservative’s friend.
Good, The NRA needs to get rid of Grover.
Isn’t Grover pro muslim?
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YES , he works to have Muslims infiltrate every orifice of our government. Cruz’s best buddy Glenn Beck has been at the forefront of getting Norquist booted from the NRA.
No matter what angle you come from, that whole article is a tour-de-force of how creepy our government has become. Is everyone involved in subterfuge, plots, schemes, and crap?
Would it be so damned impossible to have an honest government for just ONCE?
And this is not aimed at Cruz, it could be almost anybody in the race surrounded by these low life pond scum types. Its a fact of life for any candidate. Probably somewhat less so for Trump just because he hasn’t been in government.
If Trump wins, I hope he only imports people who have nearly a zero record in government work. Id like to see only high level performers from the business world.
Again, this is not a slap at Cruz. But its just nuts out there all these consultants, think tanks, etc.
I voted for removal in the recent election mail-in ballot. I don’t think the election has ended yet
Cruz is surrounding himself with losers and people with axes to grind, who are also dragging Ted into their conflicts. Not a good sign of his leadership skills.
Isn’t Grover pro muslim?: Beck painted him as such. Take that for what its worth.
You obviously are unfamiliar with Grover Norquist. He’s no Charleton Heston that’s for sure.
I don’t mind Cruz helping take down Grover Norquist.
Yeah, that’s why he’s a US Senator from arguably the most important state in the union, second in the presidential race and a leader of the TEA Party and liberty movement.
Exactly. I doubt that the reason Cruz hired him, but an enemy of Norquist is someone I approve of. And being fair, this is in the Cruz “good” category on my scorechart.
There’s a whole bunch of us NRA Lifetime members who want Norquist to go.
Cruz does not play effectively with the big boys.
...just what big boys are you referencing? the midget Norquisling? No way 2nd Amendment Ted is getting in bed with the Mussy Brotherhood who the midget has been pushing in return for sand nazi cash since before he married a muslim...
toss him OFF the Board Now!
ymmv
Although god in heaven knows I love Texas, she sends us very poor presidents. One more bad one and there might be a long gap before the next one.
Cruz is showing yet again that he is the courageous conservative, not the campaign conservative in this race. For those whose principles take priority over personality and fame, Ted is the best shot at restoring America as the last best hope for the triumph of liberty.
Have you read that best-seller about Lincoln’s cabinet? Nothing really changes.
To hell with Grover Norquist, former tax hawk and now paid apologist for Muslims.
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