[Running for office and an almost jihadi group member]
Keith Ellison On The Hotseat
Keith Ellison, the DFL's candidate in MN-05, has a couple of problems in the local blogs this morning. First, our NARN partner Michael Brodkorb finds a photo of Ellison leading a march against police brutality in 1998, holding what looks like several copies of the Nation of Islam's Final Call:
ellison-fc.JPG
Brodkorb alleges that Ellison was distributing these copies at the event, which puts lie to Ellison's insistence that he had no affiliation with the Nation of Islam or Louis Farrakhan after the Million Man March in 1995. MN Publius, who like Brodkorb does paid political work, defends Ellison by claiming that the picture doesn't show Ellison distributing the copies of Final Call. I'm on the fence in that respect. Sometimes I pick up a copy of the Star Tribune, especially when dining out where no Internet connection exists, and I'd hate to be photographed doing that. On the other hand, I don't usually pick up more than one copy and then display it while I'm marching down the street at a protest.
I'll call that one a draw. However, Power Line -- which has done marvelous work on Ellison -- notes an Insight News article on Ellison's run for the state legislature in 1998 that establishes his support for the Nation of Islam in the same time frame:
Ellison-Muhammed, who says his affiliation with the Nation of Islam doesn't mean he isn't running to represent all the people in the district, feels the critical issues on the table include criminal justice, education, and economic development. ...
His solution? To use organizations that are already set up for community safety to contribute significantly to securing the neighborhood. Ellison-Muhammed would support legislation that bolsters patrol groups like Mission of Peace, the Nation of Islam, M.A.R.C.H Inc., AMAN, and SALAAM. ...
Anticipating possible criticism for his NOI affiliation, Ellison-Muhammed says he is aware that not everyone appreciates what the Nation does and feels there is a propaganda war being waged against its leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan.
MN Publius argues that Ellison has never been a member of the Nation of Islam. In fact, Jon-David's direct quote is "Keith was never a member of the Nation of Islam, and has never had anything to do with Louis Farrakhan." This is patently false, and the Insight News article proves it. The article specifically goes into his connection to Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam as a way to assure Minnesotans that Ellison's ties do not threaten Jewish voters, although Ellison takes the opportunity to declare that critics have victimized Farrakhan for pointing out his many anti-Semitic rants.
Ellison has lied and continues to lie about his ties to the Nation of Islam. At one point, he proposed having Farrakhan's organization patrol the streets of Minneapolis in place of the police, and this wasn't during his days as a U of M law student -- it was during his political career. Ellison's lies should concern voters in the Fifth Congressional District, and have them consider their alternatives to Ellison's radicalism.
Posted by Captain Ed at 09:46 AM
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/
1987--Ellison enrolls in University of Minnesota Law School
1989--Ellison publishes the first of two articles in the University of Minnesota Daily under the alias "Keith Hakim." In the first such article, Ellison speaks up for the Nation of Islam.
1990--Ellison participates in the sponsorship of the anti-Semitic speech by Kwame Ture given at the University of Minnesota Law School ("Zionism: Imperialism, White Supremacy or Both?"). Ellison rejects the appeal of Jewish law students to withdraw sponsorship of the lecture. Ellison graduates from University of Minnesota Law School.
1992--Ellison appears as speaker at demonstration against Minneapolis police with Vice Lords leader Sharif Willis following the murder of Officer Haaf by four Vice Lords gangsters in September.
1993--Ellison leads demonstration chanting "We don't get no justice, you don't get no peace" in support of Vice Lords defendant on trial for the murder of Officer Haaf. Ellison attends Gang Summit in Kansas City with Willis.
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Chief Bob Olson of Minneapolis was there and his presence conjured up memories of Jerry Haaf, a Minneapolis police officer who was shot in the back while having a cup of coffee. It happened during the early morning hours of September 25, 1992. Officer Haaf was nearing the end of his shift and he stopped by a favorite cop hangout to get a cup of coffee and finish some paperwork. He never saw the two gang members enter the dimly lit restaurant. He did not even have a chance to draw his weapon. They quickly walked up behind him, shot him twice in the back and then ran out the door. His cowardly killers did not know Officer Haaf and did not care about all of the good he had done in his life, or that he was just three months shy of retirement with his wife, Marilyn. All they knew is that they wanted to kill a cop.
http://www.nleomf.com/TheMemorial/tributes/mcc.htm
For more on this Google "Jerry Haaf"